ECOP chair doubts wage board will entertain call to hike wages in NCR

The president and honorary chairman of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) on Tuesday expressed doubt that the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines' (TUCP) petition for a P710-increase in the wages of workers in Metro Manila will be entertained by the Tripartite Wage Board.

"Palagay ko di mae-entertain 'yan, tatanggapin 'yan pero ang mangyayari siguro diyan idedeliberate 'yan, dedesisyunan 'yan unless ireject outright. Dedesisyunan 'yan pag malapit na ang one year," Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said in a phone interview on GMA News' Balitanghali.

Ortiz-Luis noted that it was only in November 2018 when a P25-hike in the daily minimum wage of workers in the National Capital Region was approved. He said the petition for a wage increase must be done within a year.

"Hindi naman sa pabor ako o hindi pero mayroong proseso diyan sa wage board na every one year lang ang petition. Eh kakabigay lang natin nung November, noon nga after all the discussion eh 25 pesos ang ibinagay. That is the time ang inflation napakataas, mataas ang bigas, mataas ang asukal..." Ortiz-Luis said.

"Dapat may supplication 'yan eh some time in October pa at wala pang one year... Unless puwede mo iapply kung mayroong supervening condition... kadalasan mayroong may emergency na nangyari na kailangang magtaas, pangalawa tumaas ang inflation kaya immediately need magtaas ng sweldo," he explained.

The TUCP calls for an additional P710 on the minimum wage of workers in Metro Manila. If allowed, the minimum wage in NCR will be P1,247.

"Tumaas 'yung labor productivity for the past 12 years ng 59 percent pero wala hong kapalit 'yun na real wage increase," Luis Manuel Corral, TUCP vice president, said in a Balitanghali report by Mark Salazar.

Other labor groups such as Kilusang Mayo Uno and Nagkaisa Labor Coalition are also urging the government to increase the wage of workers. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News