Ilocos Sur Workers Seek Up to P190 Daily Wage Hike Amid Rising Costs
Key Takeaways
- •Workers in Ilocos Sur are seeking a daily minimum wage increase of P90 to P190, which would raise the regional floor from the current P505 to between P595 and P695.
- •The wage petition was presented at an Oct. 8 public hearing in Vigan City convened by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board and the Department of Labor and Employment, drawing 107 workers, employers, and stakeholders.
- •Emerito Sanchez Jr., a bus worker from Pangasinan, proposed a P112 daily increase that would set the minimum wage at P617, arguing the current rate cannot cover rent, schooling, and other family needs.
- •RTWPB-1 chair and DoLE-1 Regional Director Honorina Dian-Baga said the board will weigh workers' concerns against economic data in determining the wage adjustment.
- •The board will consolidate feedback from the Vigan and Pangasinan hearings, hold consultations in Ilocos Norte and La Union, and issue a wage determination on Oct. 19-20.
VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur — Workers in Ilocos Sur are seeking an increase of P90 to P190 in the daily minimum wage, as rising prices and disaster losses strain family budgets across the province. Approval of the full range would set the regional daily floor between P595 and P695.
Labor representative Catherine Pangan aired workers' travails during an Oct. 8 public hearing, describing the difficulty of coping with economic challenges amid the meager wages employees receive.
Among those pressing for relief was Emerito Sanchez, Jr., a bus worker from Pangasinan, who proposed a P112 daily increase, which would bring the minimum to P617. He argued that the current P505 daily minimum wage falls short of covering rent, schooling, and other family needs.
The hearing was convened by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in the Ilocos Region, which gathered 107 workers, employers, and stakeholders to discuss a possible wage adjustment.
RTWPB-1 chair and DoLE-1 Regional Director Honorina Dian-Baga said the board would weigh workers' concerns against economic data in setting wages.
Minimum wages in the Philippines are set regionally, with tripartite boards — representing government, labor, and employers — in each region conducting public hearings before issuing wage orders. The Ilocos Region (Region I) comprises the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.
The board will consolidate feedback from the Vigan and Pangasinan hearings, then hold consultations in Ilocos Norte and La Union ahead of a scheduled wage determination on Oct. 19-20.
— Artemio A. Dumlao
Source: BusinessWorld Online
