Wage protests, praises mark SoNA

“Each region in the Philippines has a unique minimum wage set by the RTWPB based on the poverty threshold, employment rate and cost of living specific to the region.

Militant and cause-oriented groups in Cebu will meet the third State of the Nation Address (SoNA) with protest rallies as for them, the real “state” of the nation must come from the sentiments of the people.

Jaime Paglinawan of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Central Visayas said their protest actions will run simultaneously with rallies in the city of Toledo in Western Cebu and Bantayan island in North-end Cebu.

The protest actions, he added, will highlight the real situation of workers, farmers, drivers, students and other marginalized sector that are victims of the policies and programs under the Duterte administration.

Among others, the People’s SoNA decries the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law or TRAIN that is believed to have rather burdened the poor.

The Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), meanwhile, has urged President Duterte to include in his SoNA the increase in minimum wages and the reduction of prices of basic commodities.

In a statement yesterday, the group said Duterte’s SoNA must give hope to troubled workers and families, as well as provide real-life economic relief and empowerment.

ALU-TUCP said workers can no longer afford to feed their families and are faced with the continuing erosion of wages as the prices of basic goods and services continue to surge.

It added that contractual work arrangements such as the “endo” (end of contract) and other fixed-term jobs have not been effectively addressed by Duterte’s signing of Executive Order 51 as these practices continue unabated amid a swelling unemployment and underemployment.

ALU-TUCP proposed that making high economic growth inclusive by certifying as urgent the passage of the Security of Tenure Bill filed by TUCP Party-list Representative Raymond Mendoza; provide a social safety net program to workers by approving the P500 monthly subsidy proposed by ALU-TUCP designed to help 4 million minimum-wage earners cope with the rising prices and increasing costs of services and adjust the daily minimum wage rates in all 17 regional wages boards above the poverty threshold levels to help mitigate the impact of inflation triggered by rising oil prices, unscrupulous businessmen and the aftereffects of the TRAIN law.

The Department of Labor and Employment has ordered a wage increase in private sectors in nine selected regions in the country.

The wage order was issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) from nine regions, whose orders have passed their anniversary dates as of July 2018.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said that daily minimum wage adjustments vary across regions as per recommendations of its respective RTWPB after different stages of consultations with labor and management representatives from various industries.

Among the regions to implement new wage orders are Region III with P20 daily increase, effective on August 1; Region IVA with P9.45 daily increase, effective on April 28 and Region VI with P8.50 to P26.50 daily increase with P5-P15 COLA, effective on July 12.

Other regions with new wage orders include Region VIII with P20 to P30 daily increase, effective on June 25; Region XII with P16-P18 daily increase, effective on May 11 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with a P15 daily increase in the basic pay of workers.

Also, regions with new wage orders, which are set for publication and will take effect in July and August, include Region VII with P10 to P52 daily increase; Region IX with a P20 daily increase and Region XI with a P56.43 increase in the workers’ daily pay.

RTWPB in Cordillera Administrative Region and Region V, whose wage orders have also reached their anniversary dates, are expected to issue wage orders within this month.

RTWPB in remaining regions including the National Capital Region, Regions I, II, IVB and CARAGA, whose wage orders have yet to reach their anniversary dates, are assessing the socio-economic conditions in their respective regions through consultations with concerned government agencies and stakeholders in the private sector.

Based on Republic Act 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act, each region in the Philippines has a unique minimum wage set by the RTWPB based on the poverty threshold, employment rate and cost of living specific to the region.

For its part, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is asks the President, “What are you building in Cebu?”

CCCI president Antonio Chiu said, “Starting in the third year, we hope to see implementation of this Build, Build, Build program in Cebu to solve our horrendous traffic.”

He pointed out the implementation of a mass transport system for Cebu as priority.

For micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Duterte should focus on the economy and address the issues of unemployment, inflation, peso depreciation and higher poverty incidence.

Rey Calooy, president of the Filipino-Cebuano Business Club, an organization of MSMEs, praised Duterte’s political will on programs that concern the environment and peace and order.

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) are on full alert status for the SONA.

Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas,Regional Director of PRO-7 assured that police forces from different units, especially the Civil Disturbance Management (CDM), are equipped and prepared to contain protesters.

He said that they will not stop militant groups from staging protests as long as its members do not block the roads or cause public disturbance. He said police will exercise maximum tolerance.

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) City Director Senior Superintendent Royina Garma they will follow an existing security plan.

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