The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Zamboanga Peninsula issued wage increase orders for the private sector and domestic workers (kasambahay) to take effect on Nov. 12.
This followed the approval of minimum wage hikes in the Ilocos and Western Visayas regions last month.
The National Economic and Development Authority on Tuesday said the wage-setting mechanism implemented by the government is working when asked about proposals for a legislated wage hike.
“We think that currently, the wage setting mechanism is working. Earlier, [Labor] Secretary [Bienvenido] Laguesma reported that 11 of the regional wage boards have already issued the wage increases, and all of these were decided by consensus,” NEDA Usec. Rosemarie Edillon.
In the wage order for Zamboanga Peninsula, the wage board granted a P30 hike in the minimum wage of workers.
The second tranche of wage hike amounting to P13 would likewise be granted to retail/service establishments employing 10 to 30 workers effective Feb. 1, 2024.
The wage order is expected to benefit 56,848 minimum wage earners directly.
About 121,490 full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage may also indirectly benefit from upward adjustments at the enterprise level arising from the correction of wage distortion.
The monthly wage rate for chartered cities and first-class municipalities in the region will now be P4,600 while the monthly wage rate for other municipalities will be P4,100.
With the increase, the daily minimum wage is now at P381 for the non-agriculture sector and retail/ service establishments with 31 or more workers and P368 for the agriculture sector.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier promised to pass a measure seeking an across-the-board minimum wage hike nationwide even though economic managers warned against it.
“The cost of living has increased all over the country and they need that decent wage so that they can live decently. That’s why we are pushing it. We are pushing that before the year ends. Again, by December, we will pass the legislated wage bill,” Zubiri said.
The administration’s economic managers claimed that a P150 wage hike would increase inflation and slow down economic growth.
