TWELVE wage orders have already been issued by 12 Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs), all of which were released without any wage petitions being filed.
This was pointed out by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), saying all wage orders issued so far were done at the regional wage boards’ initiatives.
“All these were initiated motu proprio,” said the NWPC.
Currently, wage orders have been issued by the regional wage boards of the National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Soccsksargen.
Under existing guidelines, a wage review may be initiated upon the filing of a petition by an interested party or via motu proprio.
Aside from 12 RTWPBs, the NWPC said it is also expecting the wage orders of Northern Mindanao and Caraga to be issued soon.
“RTWPBs X (Northern Mindanao) and XIII (Caraga) are in the final stages of the minimum wage determination process after completing their November and December 2024 public hearing schedules,” said the agency.
Come early 2025, the NWPC said it expects the minimum wage determination process in the Davao Region to begin.
“RTWPB XI (Davao Region) is scheduled to commence in January 2025,” said the NWPC.
Earlier, Bicol Region announced deferring its minimum wage determination process owing to the recent typhoons’ impact on communities and businesses there.
“RTWPB-V (Bicol Region) continues to closely monitor and assess the conditions and ongoing recovery in the Bicol Region,” said the NWPC. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
