CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)-– Private sector wage earners in Northern Mindanao will get a P33 daily wage increase in accordance with Wage Order No. RX 22 issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)

The wage increase  will be implemented in two tranches: an increase of P23 effective January 11, and an additional P10 on their daily minimum wage effective July 1.

After July 1, the new minimum wage for non-agriculture will be P438 (category 1) and P423 (category 2). Meanwhile, the agriculture minimum wage will be P426 (category 1) and P411 (category 2).

Wage category 1 includes the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Malaybalay, Valencia, Gingoog, El Salvador, Ozamiz, and the municipalities of Tagoloan, Villanueva, Jasaan, Opol, Maramag, Quezon, Manolo Fortich, and Lugait.

Meanwhile, Category 2 includes the cities of Oroquieta and Tangub, the municipalities of Lagindingan, Mambajao, and Balingasag, and all other areas not covered under the above categories, as well as all retail and service establishments employing no more than 10 workers.

Arsenio L. Sebastian III, management representative at RTWPB-10, shared, “We ended up having an increase because the socioeconomic condition shows that there is a need to adjust the wages. One of the criteria is poverty level. It has to be above the poverty level.”

Bernie T. Salinas, supervising Labor and Employment Officer, explained that they found out that three of the four labor wages in the last wage order (RX 21) were below the poverty level.

“Tulo kabook wages are below the poverty threshold of 400.5,” he said. According to him, every family with an average of five members needs to earn the poverty threshold in order to meet their basic needs for food and non-food items.

As to the two tranches, Erwin N. Aquino, chairperson of RTWPB-10 and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional director, said one factor that the board considered in coming up with these two tranches was the capability of employers to pay the whole amount of P33.

Meanwhile, Milbert M. Macarambon, labor representative at RTWPB-10, explained that, from the workers side, they would always want more.

He said if the laborers were asked, a worker would have no satisfaction; at any rate, they would still want more.

“Atong balansehon ang interest sa labor ug sa management og mahitabo nga imung palabwan og maayo, daghan na hinuon ang magsira, wala na hinuon daghan trabaho, ang mga trabahante, gusto gyud og taas, pero again dli namo mabot-an among tahas [We need to balance the interests of management and labor, and if it happens that we increase too much, many will close down and there will not be many jobs. The workers would really want a higher increase, but then again, we cannot overpower our task],” Macarambon said.

According to RTWPB-10, the minimum wage rates prescribed shall be for the normal working hours, which shall not exceed eight hours of work a day.

Further, this is only applied to minimum wage earners in the private sector within the region, regardless of their position, designation, or status, and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid. (JMOR/PIA-10)