Cebu City – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 7 said workers will have to wait until May 1 for any announcement on wage increase in Central Visayas as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7 is still deliberating on the issue.
DOLE 7 OIC Director Lilia Estillore said if there will be a wage increase it will not take place within this month, even as the last implementation of a wage increase occurred some 13 months ago.
“Maybe there will be a wage increase announcement on Labor Day,” Estillore told reporters.
The wage board will also discuss the two petitions filed by the labor groups in Central Visayas. The Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) is seeking a P130 pesos daily wage increase while the Associated Labor Union – Trade Union Congress of Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is asking for a P90 per day wage increase.
Partido ng Manggagawa-Cebu also filed a P132 daily wage increase petition for workers in Central Visayas.
Because the one year grace period lapsed, labor sector representative Jose Tumongha said there is not more need to discuss whether or not there is a supervening condition that would warrant an increase.
Under the rules, wage boards are not allowed to adjust workers’ salaries for a year after the last increase unless they find the presence of supervening conditions.

Source: Manila Bulletin - February 1, 2014