Private sector workers in Central Visayas, specifically in Region VII, are poised to receive a boost in their daily minimum wages next month.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) for Central Visayas, on September 5, 2023, approved Wage Order No. ROVII-24.
This new wage order entails a P33 increase in the daily minimum wage for workers in Region VII, which encompasses the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
According to DOLE, the wage order issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) for Region VII was submitted to and officially confirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) on September 12, 2023.
This wage order is scheduled to be published on September 15, 2023, and it will come into effect after a period of 15 days, specifically on October 1, 2023.
The recent increase in the minimum wage has resulted in the daily minimum wages in Class A to C areas falling within the range of P420 to P468 for non-agricultural establishments.
For agriculture and non-agricultural establishments with fewer than 10 workers, the new minimum wage range is P415 to P458.00. This adjustment aims to provide improved compensation for workers in these regions.
Central Visayas workers to get P33 daily minimum wage increase
Class A areas include several cities such as Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay, as well as certain municipalities like Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando, which together make up the Expanded Metro Cebu.
Class B areas encompass cities like Toledo and Bogo, as well as the remaining municipalities in Cebu Province, except for Bantayan and Camotes Islands.
Class C areas comprise cities and municipalities not covered by Classes A and B within Region VII.
These classifications significantly determine the specific minimum wage rates for different regional areas.
The recently approved minimum wage rates represent a substantial increase, ranging from 7.6% to 8.6%, compared to the region’s existing daily minimum wage rates. This significant adjustment is expected to ripple effect, resulting in a substantial 23% increase in wage-related benefits.
These benefits include the 13th-month pay, service incentive leave (SIL), and social security benefits like SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG. This change is anticipated to have a positive impact on workers’ overall compensation and welfare in Region VII.
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