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Bacolod City, Philippines Wednesday, March 21, 2012
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Businessmen, mayors
buck wage increase

BY CARLA GOMEZ

Eight Negros Occidental business groups and the mayors league said they are opposing any increase in the minimum wage at this time, in a joint letter sent to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Western Visayas.

Any increase will just trigger the skyrocketing of prices of food, transport, water and power, and will erase whatever increase is granted, they said in the letter, a copy of which was furnished the DAILY STAR yesterday by the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The daily minimum wage in Western Visayas was adjusted on July 16, 2011, in Wage Order No. RTWPB VI-19, they pointed out.

Labor laws provide that a government wage order may not be disturbed for one year unless there is a supervening condition, they said, citing a statement of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

National Wages Productivity Council Executive Director Ciriaco Lagunzad III said “The country’s minimum wage rate is both an amount employers can afford and a product of social protection measures…The set amount should improve the real income of workers and not trigger cost-plus inflation in the process,” they noted.

The letter sent to the RTWPB was signed by Roberto Montelibano – regional governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Western Visayas, Frank Carbon – president of the MBCCI, Benjamin Ortega – president of the Bacolod Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry;

Harish Nandwani – Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association Negros Occidental Chapter Inc., Marlo Montelibano - president of the Bankers Club of Negros Occidental, John Yap – president of the Southern Negros Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry;

Lucio Chua – president of the Northern Negros Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, David Albert Lacson – League of Municipal Mayor of the Philippines Negros Occidental Chapter, and Roberto Magalona – president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental.

Wennie Sancho, labor representative on the Western Visayas RTWPB, on the other hand, said a wage increase is imperative because the rising prices of basic commodities, transportation and power.

The RTWPB is expected to come up with a decision on pending wage hike petitions on March 6.

The Western Visayas RTWPB has been holding consultations on the petition for a P97 daily wage hike sought by Trade Union of Filipino Workers.*CPG

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