CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Region 3 will increase the wage rate by P50 to P66 daily starting 17 October.

According to the National Wages and Productivity Commission, the increase is part of Wage Order RBIII-25 mandating the daily minimum wage of workers in private establishments in Central Luzon.

According to Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board chairperson and Department of Labor and Employment regional director Geraldine Panlilio, the increase will be given in two tranches.

The first, she said, will be on 17 October when the hike will be P25 to P41, then on 16 April next year for another P25 hike.

She added that under the first tranche, the new minimum wage in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales will be P525 for non-agriculture, P495 for agriculture and P515 for retail/ service.

Upon implementation of the second tranche, the minimum wage in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales will be P550 for non-agriculture, P520 for agriculture and P540 for retail/ service.

Minimum wage in the province of Aurora upon effectivity of the first tranche, on the other hand, will be P475 for non-agriculture, P460 for agriculture and P410 for retail/ service.

Upon implementation of the second tranche, the minimum wage in Aurora will be P500 for non-agriculture, P485 for agriculture, and P435 for retail/ service.