Bicol workers to get pay hike

MANILA, Philippines – Workers in the Bicol region will receive higher pay starting on Christmas Day, the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) said yesterday.

The NWPC said minimum wage earners in the region would receive P5 to P12 increase in their daily take home pay.

It said under the newly approved wage order, the daily minimum wage for workers in non-agricultural establishments employing more than 10 persons is P265.

Companies with less than 10 workers will be paying their employees P248, or an increase of P12 from the previous daily pay of P236.

Cottage and handicraft workers will receive a daily minimum wage of P248, as well as the agricultural workers in the region.

Bicol or Region 5 covers the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, and the cities of Iriga, Legaspi, Ligao, Masbate, Naga, Sorsogon and Tabaco.

The wage board said retail and service establishments regularly employing not more than 10 workers are exempted from the wage order, as well as distressed companies, new business enterprises and establishments affected by calamities.

Earlier, the wage board in Central Luzon approved a salary increase for minimum wage earners in the region.

The Department of Labor and Employment reported that the government has achieved its target of providing workers wages above the poverty threshold.