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Ilocos workers demand P100 wage hike

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (June 15) — Tired of incessant oil-led increases in prices of basic commodities, workers in the Ilocos region pressed for a P100 raise in the daily minimum wage.

The demand came six months after the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) issued Wage Order No. 09 in November last year. The raise ranged from P2 to P10 in basic wage and P10 in the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), according to regional wage board chair Guerrero Cirilo.

But employers plead a no wage hike before the board, saying that another round of wage hike might lead to more unemployment and closure of establishments.

Cirilo said an amount would be determined in a meeting next week.

On May 31, the regional wage board received petitions for P100 minimum wage increase from Pangasinan Savings and Loan Bank Union and Philex Mining Supervisory Union. A counter-proposal asking the board to “reject wage hike petitions” was passed by the Chamber of Commmerce and Industries-La Union, Employers Confederation of La Union and Filipino-Chinese camber of Commerce-La Union.

Earlier, the wage board feared that an “impulsive” wage hike would adversely affect small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which comprise 95% of the industries in the region.

Two-digit factor

National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director Nestor Rillon said the board has taken as factor for an increase a high 10.15% average inflation rate in the region.

Rillion said the two-digit inflation rate, a surpevening condition in considering another wage hike in a year, has surpassed the 5-6 percent perceived this first quarter.

The figure stood a sharp hike at 10.48% in April, the highest in years.

“The purchasing power of peso has drastically declined by 10% or from 84 centavos in May last year compared to 77 centavos in the same month this year,” said Rillon.

Meanwhile, research group IBON Foundation reports that the peso value has slid to as low as 53 centavos this year.

Profits from agricultural products dropped from P1.1 million in first quarter last year to P835,214 this year.

Rillon noted that industrial activities had slowed down in first quarter of the year.

A sharp increase in oil prices, pegged at P23.86 in the last five months contributed to the high inflation rate in the region.

High time

For Solidarity of Peasants Against Exploitation (Stop-ex), the demand for a P125 wage increase across the nation and P3000 for government employees is long overdue.

Gloria Floresca of Stop-ex said the demand is just to compensate the ever-worsening condition of workers.

Eliseo Flora, workers’ representative said “The board has to act on a fair wage increase to protect the employers and help the workers cope with rising cost of living.”

Ilocos region has been ‘left out” from other regions that had earlier hiked their respective minimum wage, he said. # Jhong dela Cruz for NORDIS

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