Pay hike for workers in ARMM, Eastern Visayas approved

As for agriculture (plantation and non-plantation) workers, they will be receiving PHP270 from only PHP255 per day as a result of the latest wage order. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPB) representing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Eastern Visayas have approved upward adjustments in the pay of minimum wage earners in the two regions.

Based on Wage Order No. ARMM-17, effective Friday (June 15), RTWPB-ARMM has approved a PHP15 wage adjustment in the daily income of non-agriculture and agriculture workers.

For non-agriculture workers, or those in the industrial, manufacturing, construction, commercial, and mining sectors, as well as the academe, their daily take home pay will now be PHP280 from only PHP265.

As for agriculture (plantation and non-plantation) workers, they will be receiving PHP270 from only PHP255 per day as a result of the latest wage order.

The wage increase will be effective in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, the cities of Lamitan in Basilian, and Marawi in Lanao del Sur.

Meanwhile, the wage hike to be implemented in Eastern Visayas will range from PHP20 to PHP30 a day. This, after the RTWPB there released Wage Order No. RB VIII-20, which will take effect on June 25.

The salary increase covers non-agriculture, cottage/handicraft, retail/service and agriculture employees in the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and the cities of Tacloban, Ormoc, Maasin, Catbalogan, Borongan, Baybay, and Calbayog.

According to RTWPB-8 (Eastern VIsayas), minimum wage earners in the non-agriculture sector will get an additional PHP20 in their salaries, thus increasing their daily income to PHP305 from PHP285.

For employees in sugar mills and retail/service employing 11 up to 30 workers, an additional PHP30 will be given to them. As such, their daily salaries will increase to PHP305 from PHP275.

As for those employed in cottage/handicraft, a total of PHP22 will be added to their present daily earning of PHP253. They will receive a total of PHP275 per day in the next pay day after the effectivity of the wage order.

An additional PHP30 will be given to retail/service employing 10 workers and less. Their daily pay will therefore increase to PHP275 from only PHP245 today.

In the agriculture sector, non-sugar workers’ daily pay will increase to PHP275 from PHP251 with an increase of PHP24, while sugar farm employees will receive an additional PHP30, making their daily wage increase to PHP275 from PHP245.

Earlier, RTWPB-6 (Western Visayas) has approved an additional PHP41.50 in the salary of minimum wage earners in non-agricultural jobs in Western Visayas, now amounting to PHP365.

In establishments with less than 10 employees, RTWPB-6 added PHP23.50 to the daily pay, to increase their minimum wage rate to PHP295.

For those in agricultural jobs, they will receive an additional PHP13.50 to their daily pay, bringing their wage rate to PHP295.