The P15 to P30 increase in the daily minimum wage of private sector employees in Western Visayas will take effect on Nov. 27, 2019.
Wage Order No. RBVI-25 was published in a newspaper on Monday, Nov. 11.
Wennie Sancho, labor representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-6), said the wage order, under the existing guidelines, would take effect 15 days after publication.
“This welcome development is a sort of an early Christmas gift for the workers as this will be included in their 13th-month pay,” he said in a report by the Philippine News Agency.
The latest wage order was approved last Oct. 22.
Sancho appealed to employers, if possible, not to wait for the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) to implement the wage order.
“The reckoning date of the implementation would still be the same. Some employers normally wait for the implementing rules. Since the date of effectivity remains the same, it will still be retroactive,” he said.
According to Sancho, employers have 10 days after the publication to contest the wage order or make an appeal.
The daily minimum wage rate in non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 workers has been raised to P395 from the prevailing P365.
For those employing less than 10 workers, the rate is P310 from 295.
Workers in the agriculture sector will receive a daily minimum wage of P281.50 from P271.50.
“The wage increase prescribed in this Wage Order shall apply to all minimum wage earners in the private sector in Western Visayas, regardless of their position, designation or status of employment and irrespective of the method by which they are paid,” the RTWPB-6 said.
“This Wage Order shall not cover household or domestic workers, persons in the personal service of another and workers of duly registered Barangay Micro-Business Enterprises (BMBEs) with Certificate of Authority pursuant to Republic Act No. 9178,” it added.IMT
