Wage board approves wage hike in Central Visayas

By Elvira Bongosia

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — The Central Visayas Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has approved the increase in the daily minimum wage rates for workers in private establishments in the region.Under Wage Order No. ROVII-25, the RTWPB has set an increase in the daily minimum wage from P33 to P43 per day, starting Oct. 2.

The increase brings the daily minimum wage from P458-P468 to P501 for workers in private establishments under Class A or the cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Naga and Talisay and towns of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla and San Fernando, and from P425-P430 to P463 in other cities not classified under Class A, which include Bais, Bayawan, Bogo, Canlaon, Dumaguete , Guihulngan, Tagbilaran, Tanjay and Toledo.

For Class C or municipalities not covered by Class A and B, the daily minimum wage is increased to P453 from P415-P420.

The new wage order was approved on Sept. 6 by the Board, whose members are Atty. Nora Analyn Demetrio-Diego and Antonio Cuizon from the workers’ sector; Atty. Joseph Tanco and Philip Tan from the employers’ sector; Jennifer Bretaña (National Economic Development Authority-7 director) and Maria Elana Arbon (Department of Trade and Industry-7 director) as vice chairpersons; and Lilia Estillore (Department of Labor and Employment-7 regional director), as chairperson.

The wage order was issued following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Labor Day to the RTWPBs to review the regional minimum wage rates before the anniversary of the last wage increase.

The final wage order for private establishment workers in Region 7 became effective on Oct. 1, 2023. (ECB/PIA7-Bohol)