The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board 6 has scheduled a series of consultations on the petition for a P50 wage increase filed by the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.

The wage board, chaired by Labor Regional Director Aida Estabillo, convened Monday in Iloilo City to discuss the petition.

The consultations will be held on April 28 in San Jose, Antique; April 29, Roxas City, Capiz; April 30, Kalibo, Aklan; May 6, Iloilo City; and May 7, Bacolod City.

“We will conduct a series of consultation with both the labor and management sides so that we can their respective positions,” John Peter Millan, employer sector representative, said yesterday.

On the part of the management, he said, they will probably also consult their fellow businessmen regarding the petition for wage increase to determine if we can afford it.

Millan said the wage board could not issue a new wage order unless there are supervening events.

The law says no petition can be entertained within the proscription period, or one year from the implementation of the last wage hike, except when there are "supervening conditions."  The last wage order in Western Visayas was issued only last October.

Wennie Sancho, labor sector representative, said he is optimistic the workers will get a wage increase although the amount could not be determined yet.

The present minimum wage rate in Region 6 is P193 to 235 per day.

 “A wage increase is a foregone conclusion. It’s only a matter of time,” he said in a telephone interview. He added: “I’m confident. There is already a marching order from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the wage boards to convene and receive petitions.”

Sancho said President Arroyo has also urged employers to provide non-wage benefits to their workers while the proposed wage increases are being deliberated on.

Also, he noted that there is no vehement opposition from the management sector and even the Employers Confederation of the Philippines has also declared support to a wage increase.

On Monday, Ciriaco Lagunzad, executive director of the National Wages and Productivity Commission, said that  wage hike petitions in Metro Manila can now be entertained even if the last  increase took effect only last August.

In the National Capital Region, the wage board said the supervening conditions they considered were the "extraordinary" increases in the prices of food including rice, flour, and meat products, as well as transportation fare.

Sancho said that after conducting a series of consultation, the wage board will then hold public hearings all over the region.

He said that they will come up with a decision within 30 days after the last public hearing.

Aside from the labor regional director, the wage board is comprised of the regional directors of the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic Development Authority, acting as vice-chairpersons. Both the labor and employer sectors have two representatives each.*NLG

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