COLA included in basic pay of minimum wage earners in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Effective Thursday, the P5 cost of living allowance or COLA that was granted through Wage Order No. 14 will be integrated into the basic pay of minimum wage earners in Metro Manila, a labor official said on Wednesday. Executive Director Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III, head of the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), said the P5 would be computed into the workers’ wage-related benefits. Such wage-related benefits as provided under the Labor Code include the 13th month pay, the equivalent of the 11 paid regular holidays, the five days service incentive leave and the premiums under the Social Security Service, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and Employees Compensation. On May 30, 2008, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region approved an additional P5 COLA and an increase of P15 in the basic wage of workers in the NCR. In P20 increase raised the minimum daily wage in the capital region to P382. Meanwhile, the NCR wage board said the last day of filing for exemption for Wage Order NCR NO. 14 is on September 4. Under Wage Order NCR No. 14, the establishments which may apply for exemption are those which are: Distressed, retail/service establishments employing not more than 10 workers, establishments adversely affected by natural calamities and micro and small indigenous exporters as certified by the Export Development Council. - GMANews.TV