A COALITION of labor groups has criticized the Davao Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-11) for its slow rate review process that started in January. In a press statement date April 16, Sofriano M. Mataro, spokesperson of the labor coalition Nagkaisa-Davao, said that the ongoing review, just like the past initiatives, “is most likely to end up giving loose change to workers.” Mr. Mataro said the RTWPB-11 has not called the labor groups to a public hearing on the issue even after the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) submitted last March 26 a petition for a P104 across-the- board increase in daily minimum wage rates. “We need to raise workmen’s wages. The P104 petition of TUCP is not even enough to recover the lost purchasing power of the regional wage which is P132.70,” he said. The latest minimum daily wage adjustment issued by RTWPB-11 took effect in May 2017 with agriculture workers getting P335; retail/service with up to 10 workers, P325; and non-agriculture/industrial/commercial and retail/service with more than 10 workers, P340.00. In response to the TUCP petition, Labor and Employment Regional Director Raymundo G. Agravante, also RTWPB-11 chair, said the wage board will include this in its evaluation. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

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