Board weighs PHP 250 wage hike for Western Visayas

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) Region VI is considering a petition to raise the daily minimum wage in Western Visayas from PHP 550 to PHP 800, an increase of PHP 250, following a stakeholders’ dialogue held July 21, 2026, at Citadines Amigo Iloilo in Iloilo City.

The wage adjustment sought is the subject of three separate petitions the Board has received since April, filed by a general labor alliance, a hospital workers’ union, and a business process outsourcing industry group.

Healthcare sector representatives told the Board during the dialogue that current compensation levels are contributing to workforce retention and migration problems among hospital staff, tying the wage question to concerns about health care capacity in the region.

The United Labor Western Visayas (ULWV) Alliance filed the first petition April 30, 2026, citing global oil supply disruptions and their effect on the regional economy. The Iloilo Doctors Hospital Employees Union (IDHEU), a ULWV member, filed a similar petition June 5, 2026, which the Board found substantially compliant with legal requirements. The BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) filed a third petition June 26, 2026, seeking the same adjustment while raising concerns specific to business process outsourcing workers.

DOLE Regional Director and RTWPB VI Chairperson Atty. Sixto “Popoy” Rodriguez Jr. said wage determination is a legal and consultative process that requires evaluating evidence, economic conditions, and the interests of both workers and employers before any petition can be acted upon.

Rodriguez said the Board must first determine whether a petition was filed by a proper party, whether documentary requirements were met, and whether sufficient factual basis exists to establish probable cause for further proceedings, including a valid supervening event that would justify another wage review. Under Republic Act No. 6727, the Wage Rationalization Act, the RTWPB is required to weigh relevant economic and social indicators, along with industry capacity, in setting wage policy.

The Philippine Statistics Authority, the Department of Energy, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development presented updated socioeconomic data at the dialogue to help the Board assess whether current conditions meet the supervening-event threshold.

Labor organizations cited the rising cost of basic goods and services, declining purchasing power, and increasing household expenses in support of the petitions. Transportation workers raised concerns about fuel prices and operating costs, while BPO industry representatives said pay levels should reflect the specialized skills and demands of their work.

Management representatives acknowledged the challenges workers face but raised concerns about the effect of another wage increase on business sustainability, employment generation, and industry competitiveness. Employer groups cited rising production and fuel costs and said micro, small, and medium enterprises would be most exposed to added labor costs, calling for careful consideration of timing and implementation.

“The Board remains committed to a transparent, impartial, and evidence-based wage determination process. This dialogue allows us to assess all available information and determine whether the circumstances presented constitute a valid basis for further wage review,” Rodriguez said.

The Board said every submission from the dialogue will form part of its evaluation before it issues a determination on the pending petitions. No timeline for that determination was given.