DASMARIÑAS CITY, Cavite – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region IV-A yesterday conducted its first public consultation for possible pay hike of workers in Calabarzon region.

Cavite 1st district Rep. Ramon “Jolo” B. Revilla III attended the consultation held at the FCIE Admin Hall in this city.

Also present were DTI regional director Marissa Argente, NEDA regional director Agnes Tolentino, vice chairpersons of RTWPB IV-A, DOLE IV-A provincial directors, representatives of the management and labor groups, and other workers of different companies in Calabarzon.

According to the RTWPB, the consultation aims to hear both sides of the management and the labor sector for the formulation of fair and effective wage standards for the region.

According to Revilla it is time to raise the wages of workers in the region again to make it equal with Metro Manila, especially that the prices of basic commodities continue to rise.

Revilla said that from 2018 to 2022 or under his tenure as vice governor of Cavite, wages of private sector workers in Calabarzon increased six times by virtue of Wage Orders IV-A 18-19 of the DOLE.

Revilla was also the main proponent of the latest arrangement of wages in Calabarzon, which took effect in accordance with Wage Order IV-A 20 on September 24, 2023.

Currently, the minimum wage in the region for the agriculture sector is P385-P479; P385-P520 for the non-agriculture sector; and P385 for services and retail establishments that have no more than 10 workers.

“If we did it before, if it was done in Metro Manila, I believe we can do it too. Let’s make it a way in Calabarzon,” said Revilla, who expressed optimism that wages will be raised again in the region soon.

Meanwhile, House Bill No. 514 or the Daily Across-the-Board Wage Increase Act filed by Revilla is seeking an additional P150 to the daily wages of private sector workers throughout the country.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Dennis Abrina