RTWPB affirms wage hikes in NCR, W. Visayas

Workers in Metro Manila and Western Visayas will start receiving their wage hike starting June 3, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

The DOLE made the announcement after the wage increase orders for the two regions were affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) of Metro Manila granted a raise of P33, bringing the new minimum wage rate to P570 for workers in the non-agriculture sector, and P533 for those in agriculture-based industries.

The RTWPB of Western Visayas also approved the P55 for workers in companies with more than 10 employees, and P110 in companies with 10 or less employees.

The Western Visayas wage board likewise granted an increase of P95 for workers in the agriculture sector, raising their daily minimum pay to P410.

Meanwhile, minimum wage earners in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Caraga regions will soon get higher pay after their respective Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) have ordered the minimum wage adjustments.

The RTWPB I unanimously issued Wage Order No. RB1-21 on May 16, providing wage increases ranging from P60 to P90 in two to three tranches. After full implementation of the tranches, the minimum wage rate in the region will range from P372 to P400 from P282 to P340 under the previous Wage Order.

The Board also unanimously issued Wage Order No. RB1-DW-03 granting P500 and P1,500 monthly wage increases for domestic workers in cities and first-class municipalities and for other municipalities, respectively, bringing the new monthly wage rate to P5,000.

The RTWPB XIII issued Wage Order No. RXIII-17 also on May 17, which integrated the P15 cost of living allowance to the P305 basic salary under the previous wage order, and granted a P30-wage increase bringing the new daily minimum wage rate in the region to P350.

The new daily minimum wage rate of P350 will take effect upon the effectivity of the wage order for private establishments and their workers in Butuan City and the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Surigao del Sur.

However, for workers in private companies in the provinces of Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte, including Siargao Islands, the wage increase of P20 will take effect upon the effectivity of the wage order and another P10-pay hike to take effect on September 1, 2022.