By Gillian M. Cortez
LABOR SECRETARY Silvestre H. Bello III on Tuesday said all regional wage boards will submit their recommendations for wage hikes by July 15 at the latest.
Mr. Bello said earlier last week, as reported by BusinessWorld on Monday, that he was urging the regional boards to submit their wage adjustments by the end of this month or by July 15.
On Tuesday, he said, “By the end of this month, there will be a submission by all our Regional Tripartite Wage(s) (and Productivity) Boards.”
He added, “if (they) can do it by end of June, that’s much better. Pero ang (But the) commitment (is) maximum of July 15.”
“By June 30, ang unang batch (there will be a first batch [of regions that will submit]),” Mr. Bello also said. “Whether they will comply or not, nasa kanila na yun (it’s up to them). Kasi yung iba, (The others, by) July 15.”
“They will submit their recommendation for approval of the wage board,” Mr. Bello also said,
When asked if these boards have declared supervening conditions in their regions, Mr. Bello replied “Mag-de-declare pa lang (They’re just about to declare).”
He cited inflation as one such condition for the wage boards to declare their adjustments, ahead of the year-long period for the wages currently in effect in the regions.
When asked if some regions will declare wage adjustments by next month, Mr. Bello said “Some.”
Mr. Bello said the Department of Labor and Employment is also considering subsidies for the “4.1 million minimum wage earners,” upon Malacañang’s approval.
“Isusubmit namin yan (We will submit that),” he said. “Kasama namin ang DSWD saka DoF (Together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Finance).”
Asked how much the beneficiaries will receive, he said “200 a month pero para maramdaman mo (so you can feel it)…. That’s 2,400 [a year].”
Mr. Bello said the proposed subsidy will be for three years.

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