Labor group to seek P150 wage hike

CEBU, Philippines — A labor group is set to file tomorrow a petition asking for an across-the-board wage increase of P150 per day for workers in Central Visayas.

Metudio Belarmino, spokesperson of Cebu Living Wage Coalition, said they will seek another round of wage increase amidst the rising prices of basic and prime commodities, the rising inflation rate and the series of fuel price increases.

"We will file the petition this Friday at the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board," Belarmino said.

The petition will be filed even if the one-year ban to file another wage increase is still in effect.

Under the one-year ban rule, the wage board will not entertain any wage petition within one year from the date of implementation of the latest wage increase, unless there is a supervening condition.

These supervening conditions include increases in the price of fuel and basic commodities, cost of living, inflation rate, among others.

To recall, Wage Order number 21 took effect on August 3, 2018 that implements a P10 to P52 daily wage increase for minimum wage earners in the private sector in Central Visayas.

"Klaro na man nga naay supervening conditions. Dili na mi magpa abot sa one year ban rule," Metudio said.

To recall, the country's biggest labor organizations, the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Congress of the Philippines also plans to seek higher wages for Central Visayas.

ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay had said that they still have to wait until the end of the month to get the inflation rate for the month of September.

He said it is important to know the September's inflation rate as this will be one of the basis as to how much increase in wages they will be asking. — MBG (FREEMAN)