₱40 daily minimum wage hike OK'd in Mimaropa

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 22) — Minimum wage earners across all sectors in Mimaropa will see a ₱40 daily increase in their wages, effective Dec. 7, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Wednesday.

This means the daily minimum wage rates in establishments with 10 or more workers will be raised to ₱395, and those with less than 10 workers to ₱369.

The DOLE said the wage hike was approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) on Oct. 24 and affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission on Nov. 19.

The order was published on Nov. 21 and shall take effect 15 days from publication.

A total of 46,861 workers are expected to directly benefit from the salary increase, while 113,324 full-time workers earning above the minimum wage may also indirectly benefit as a result of upward adjustments at the enterprise level, the DOLE said.

The regional wage board also issued a separate order raising the monthly minimum pay of the over 28,000 domestic workers in Mimaropa by ₱1,000, bringing it to ₱5,500.

Domestic workers and private employees in the region last saw a wage hike in June 2022.

The DOLE noted that the new rates for workers in the private sector translate to an 11% to 12% increase from the prevailing daily minimum wage rates in the region. These also resulted in a comparable 23% increase in wage-related benefits, it added.

The department also noted that retail or service establishments regularly employing not more than 10 workers, and enterprises affected by natural calamities and/or human-induced disasters may apply to the RTWPB for exemption from the order.

Meanwhile, barangay micro business enterprises are not covered by the minimum wage law.