Samar contractors paid below minimum wage

Contractual workers at the Eastern Samar provincial government are being paid less the minimum wage, the Commission on Audit (CoA) reported.

Based on a 2023 CoA report, 1,923 of the 2,106 job order (JO) and contract of service personnel (CoS) received less than the provincial minimum wage rate of P375.

State auditors said JOs and CoS assigned as teachers in various schools in Eastern Samar accounted for the biggest chunk of the underpaid workers at 1,065.

“Noncompliance with the prescribed daily minimum wage for the CoS/JO personnel is contrary to the laws and regulations and deprives them of the equitable compensation due them,” said the state auditing body referring to the wage rate prescribed by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.

“The additional compensation could help them pay for their daily needs and expenses,” it added.

The audit also found that apart from the below minimum wage, the Eastern Samar government was late in paying the wages from one to 263 days.

CoA said the delay in their wages caused undue inconvenience to the personnel “affecting their focus and performance at work.”

The Eastern Samar government, meanwhile, told the auditors the delays were due to a lack of disbursing officers to handle cash advances and the late submission of the necessary documents such as daily time records, among others.

Nevertheless, the CoA told the provincial government to increase the personnel’s wages to boost their morale.

The provincial administrator, however, countered that they were bound by the wage rate set by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.