The compensation schemes of drivers and conductors must focus on the local situation to sustain the needs of workers, Dominic Abad, vice chairman for Western Visayas of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, said yesterday.

Abad, who spoke at the orientation on the Department Order 118-12 of the Department of Labor and Employment yesterday at the ABC Hall in Bacolod City, said there are general parameters that have to be checked before the DOLE and the parties involved can agree on the minimum wages for drivers and conductors.

The compensation scheme also involves the safety of the riding public, road and bus conditions, working hours of the workers, and other factors related to the wage benefits of the drivers and conductors, he said.

The department order presents two compensation schemes, which are fixed and performance based.

The order states that fixed compensation is based on the amount mutually agreed by the operators and the drivers and conductors.

With the performance-based wage safety performance and business matters like ridership, revenues, and other related parameters are considered.

Diego Malacad, secretary general of the United Negros Drivers Operators Center, said the compensation scheme is only beneficial to bus drivers and operators in Metro Manila, but not in Bacolod City and other parts of Negros Occidental.

Most of the operators in Bacolod have relatively small capitalization and they would prefer the commission-based scheme, he added.

Wennie Sancho, RTWPB labor representative yesterday said the order has a good intention and is beneficial especially to the unorganized unions in the transport sector, but the DOLE has to make them understand its purpose to avoid misunderstanding.

The agency must also explain how it works, especially to small bus operators with three or five units and whether if there will be exemptions for them or not, Sancho said.*LTG

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