Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma on Wednesday said that reviewing the minimum wage should require careful consideration, as the agency has ordered Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards to look into the possibilities of a wage hike for workers.

This is in response to the 7.7 percent inflation rate reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority for the month of October, resulting in the soaring prices of basic commodities.

The current inflation rate is significantly much higher than the previous month's 6.9 percent rate, and is the highest since December 2008 when the inflation rate went up to 7.8 percent.

In a television interview, Laguesma said that the review of the minimum wage should be carefully done according to existing laws.

Indeed, the National Wages and Productivity Commission said that regional boards can only issue a wage order once a year, and that petitions for wage increase will not be entertained within a 12-month period, except for 'supervening conditions' including the rising prices of basic commodities:

"This is what we're closely looking at and weighing in. There is a provision that it should be done once a year. We should look into whether the rising inflation rate is already sufficient to increase the minimum wage," Laguesma said.

Laguesma clarified the growing needs of workers due to soaring prices of basic goods and services, but he said that they are avoiding a possible worsening situation.