Marcos orders review of regional minimum wage rates

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Photo: Philippine News Agency/Facebook)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) to review the minimum wage rates in their respective regions as the country marks the 122nd Labor Day on Wednesday.

In a speech in Malacañang for the Labor Day rites, Marcos asked the RTWPBs to consider the prevailing economic complexities such as inflation in conducting the review.

“As president, I call on the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards to initiate a timely review of the minimum wage rates in their respective regions, with due consideration to the impact of inflation among others, within 60 days prior to the anniversary of their latest wage order,” Marcos said.

RTWPB are government bodies established to regulate and set minimum wage rates across its different regions.

Marcos also called on the National Wages and Productivity Commission, which supervises the RTWPBs, to ensure that the boards are able to “maintain a regular and predictable schedule of wage review, issuance and effectivity to reduce uncertainty and enhance fairness for all stakeholders.”

He also appealed to Congress to pass measures that would support the administration’s job creation agenda such as the Enterprise-based Education and Training Program law, the Revised Apprenticeship Program Act, and the CREATE More Law, or the law on corporate recovery and tax incentive for enterprises to maximize opportunities for reinvigorating the economy.

One-of-a-kind workers’ rehab center

In the same ceremony, Marcos also unveiled the master plan for the Workers’ Rehabilitation Center Complex (WRCC).

The 50-hectare DOLE infrastructure project will be done through the partnership with the Tanay municipal government, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The soon-to-be built WRCC in Barangay Cuyambay, Tanay in Rizal will provide comprehensive management and treatment for injured workers, with a specific emphasis on a biopsychosocial approach to recovery for their successful reintegration into the workforce.

Marcos said the WRCC would serve as a “sanctuary and a place of rehabilitation for our workers and soldiers who suffer from work-related injuries.”

“The building of this facility is a just and fitting honor to those who have sacrificed much for the progress of the nation,” he said.

Labor Code of the Philippines @50

The President, likewise, led the commemoration of the signing of the Labor Code of the Philippines and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing workers’ rights and welfare.

The fundamental law that governs the welfare, protection, and well-being of every Filipino worker was signed on May 1, 1974 by Marcos’ father and namesake, the late former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.

“Sa lahat ng mga manggagawang Pilipino, muli ako’y nagpapasalamat sa inyo. Kayo ang puso at kaluluwa ng ating lakas-paggawa, ang nagsusulong ng ating tagumpay, at ang dahilan kung bakit patuloy tayong nangangarap para sa isang mas maliwanag na bukas (To all the Filipino workers, I thank you again. You are the heart and soul of our workforce, the driving force behind our success, and the reason we continue to dream for a brighter tomorrow,” Marcos said.

Marcos also commended the non-supervisory white-collar and blue-collar workers who were conferred The Outstanding Workers of the Republic (TOWER) Awards.

“Your hard work and contribution to our labor force and nation-building inspires us all to double our efforts to realize our collective goals,” Marcos told the awardees.

Aside from the series of activities in Malacañang, the DOLE has also lined up activities across the country to mark Labor Day, including Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) payouts, job fairs, and Kadiwa ng Pangulo caravans.