Bicol approves minimum wage

LEGAZPI CITY: The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board V has approved a P3 to P23 increase in the daily minimum wage rates of private workers and employees in the Bicol region.

Rosendo Belo, board secretary, said Wage Order RBV-15 followed the petition filed last year by the Alliance of Progressive Labor and Pinag-isang Manggagawa sa Kooperatiba sa Koryente-Bicol/ National Solidarity Unions in the Electric Cooperative.

In the non-agriculture sector, business firms with more than 15 workers, a P5 basic increase is added to the old minimum wage of P P247, making the new minimum wage P252.

Those with 11 to 15 workers, the wage is P252 (P18 basic increase plus old P234 minimum).

For establishments employing not more than 10 workers, a P12 basic increase tacked on P216 to make the new wage P228.

For cottage/handicraft employing less than 20 workers, the new wage is P228 (P16 plus old P222 minimum).

For plantation workers receiving P225 under the old minimum wage, P3 is added, making the new wage P228 while non-plantation workers receiving P205 will get a P23 basic increase for a new wage of P228, said the order.  – Manila Standard