Ilocos, Western Visayas workers get pay hike

MANILA, Philippines — Minimum wage earners in Ilocos and Western Visayas will receive an increase in their daily take-home pay after the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) approved the wage adjustments in the regions.

A total of 287,683 minimum wage earners in the private sector in both regions stand to benefit from the new order, according to the NWPC.

The increase may also benefit around 677,626 workers earning above the minimum rate as a result of the wage distortion. 

In Ilocos, the wage board approved motu proprio an increase of P30 to P35 in the daily minimum wage.

Upon effectivity of the new wage order in November, the minimum wage in Ilocos will be P435 in non-agricultural establishments employing 10 or more workers, and P402 for non-agricultural and agricultural establishments with less than 10 workers.

The wage order in Western Visayas will bring the daily minimum pay to P480 in non-agriculture establishments with more than 10 workers, P450 in non-agriculture employing 10 and below, and P440 for workers in agriculture firms.

Aside from the minimum wage earners, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPB) in both regions also granted pay hikes for household workers.

The increase brought to P5,500 the monthly minimum pay of household workers in Ilocos and P5,000 in Western Visayas.

“The wage increases are expected to benefit a total of 259,820 domestic workers, approximately 23 percent or 58,517 of whom are staying in the house of their employers and 77 percent or 201,303 who are on stay-out arrangement,” the NWPC said.

The NWPC said eight regional wage boards have so far ordered pay adjustments.