THE National Wages and Productivity Commission has raised the minimum wage in the Caraga Region by P15—a basic pay increase of P5 and a cost-of- living allowance of P10.
“The RTWPB-Caraga has approved the increase in the minimum wage of workers in agriculture and in the retail and service industry in the region. The 15-peso increase in the minimum wage will be given in three tranches within the year,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.
“With the region’s minimum wage now above the poverty threshold, the number of minimum wages in the country remaining below the poverty threshold is down to 11,” she said.
“We are on track in realizing our target that all minimum wages in the country will be at par, if not over, the poverty threshold, by the end of 2015.”
The minimum wage rates that remain below the poverty threshold are those of the ARMM (1 minimum wage rate); Caraga (1 minimum wage rate in plantation agriculture); Region 8 (2 minimum wage rates); Region 5 (1 minimum wage rate); Region 4-B (3 minimum wage rates); Region 4-A (1 minimum wage rate); Region 1 (1 minimum wage rate); and Region 1 (1 minimum wage rate).
Baldoz said that the Regional Wage Board in the Caraga Region had determined that there was a need to provide workers with immediate economic relief by providing increase in the basic wage without impairing business viability.
“Through Wage Order RBXIII-13, RTWPB Caraga has simplified the wage structure of the region and adjusted the minimum wage rates above the poverty threshold,” she said.