Wage hike in Central Visayas takes effect starting today

CEBU, Philippines —  Minimum wage earners and domestic helpers in Central Visayas will enjoy the increase in their pay starting today.

Wage Order No. ROVII-22 provides the increase of the daily minimum wage rates of all private sector workers and employees in Region 7.

On the other hand, Wage Order No. ROVII-D.W. 02 reflects the increased monthly minimum wage rates for domestic workers in all cities and municipalities in Central Visayas.

 “Yes, it will take effect tomorrow (today), January 5, and will apply to minimum wage earners and domestic helpers in Central Visayas,” said Luchel Taniza, DOLE-7 information officer.

Taniza said that the implementation took effect after wage orders were officially published in The FREEMAN last December 21.

It can be recalled that the Regional Tripartite Wages and  Productivity Board-7, an attached agency of DOLE, approved the two wage orders last November 26.

DOLE-7 Director Salome Siaton said the existing three sectoral classifications under the previous wage order have now been simplified into two categories, namely: (a) non-agriculture and (b) agriculture and establishments employing less than 10 workers.

The previous four geographic classifications of wages have also been reduced and are now down to only three Classes A, B, and C.

 Workers in the non-agricultural sector falling under Class A Cities and Municipalities or the Expanded Metro Cebu Area (Cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapulapu, Mandaue, Talisay, Naga and the Municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando), will now be paid P404.00 daily minimum wage after getting an P18 increase from the previous P368 daily rate.

Class B or other cities not covered under Class A are Bais, Bayawan, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, and Tanjay in the province of Negros Oriental as well as Bogo and Toledo in the province of Cebu, including Tagbilaran in Bohol.

Workers in said areas are to be paid P366 daily with an increase from their previous daily minimum wage rate of around P18 to P28.

 For workers in other municipalities not covered under Class A, now called Class C, should now receive not less than P356 per day with an increase that ranged from P8 to P33.

The agricultural workers and those working for establishments employing less than 10 employees under Class A areas, on the other hand, must be paid P394 per day.

Those workers located in Class B areas should receive P361 daily, while those under Class C will have to be paid P351 daily.

“The reclassification of wage structure is in line with the thrust of the Board to rationalize the wage structure in the Region. Of course, we did it after taking into account all the recommendations of stakeholders present during the public hearings and consultations conducted,” Siaton earlier said.

She added that the minimum wage increase in the Region was the result of the periodic and continuous review by the Board of the socio economic conditions in Central Visayas including the issues raised during the public hearings and the position papers submitted by concerned parties.

Wage Order No. 22 emphasized that not covered from the provisions are household or domestic workers, persons in the personal service of another and workers of establishments registered under the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises with valid Certificates of Authority.

It also said  that establishments adversely affected by calamities, such as natural and/or human-induced disasters, may be exempted from the applicability of the order upon application with and as determined by the Board based on documentary and other requirements in accordance with applicable rules and regulations issued by the National Wages and Productivity Commission.

It further stated that private educational institutions which have not increased their tuition fees for the school year 2019-2020 may defer compliance with the increase prescribed until the beginning of school year 2020-2021.

As for the new monthly minimum wage rates for domestic workers, Board Secretary Grace Carreon said that from the existing P3,000 minimum monthly pay, domestic workers or the kasambahay employed in the cities and first class municipalities should now be paid P5,000 monthly and those working in other municipalities, should now receive not less than P4,000 per month from what used be a monthly pay of only P2,500.

Under the new wage order for domestic workers, employers are once again urged to comply to what the labor laws require by enrolling their kasambahay to SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG same as the workers in the non-agriculture and agricultural sectors.

 The review of the monthly minimum wages for domestic workers was also included in the public hearings conducted by the Board in the provinces of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Cebu, and Bohol. JMD (FREEMAN)