BPO workers seek higher Western Visayas wages

By Juliane Judilla

The BPO Industry Employees Network filed a petition before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Western Visayas on Thursday, seeking a new wage order to raise the region’s daily minimum wage to PHP 800.

The petition, filed at the RTWPB Region 6 office in Jaro, Iloilo City, calls for wage relief amid rising inflation, fuel prices, electricity costs, and the continued erosion of workers’ purchasing power.

BIEN said the wage board should act immediately on the petition, citing several “supervening events” that it said justify an urgent wage review under existing wage-setting rules.

The group cited the declaration of a state of national energy emergency under Executive Order No. 110, continued oil price increases that have raised transportation and utility costs, and the surge in Western Visayas inflation to 6.6% in April 2026 from 3.5% in March.

BIEN also said inflation among the bottom 30% of households reached 7.2% in the region, disproportionately affecting low-income workers.

The group also pointed to the declining purchasing power of the peso, estimating that PHP 1 now has a real value of about PHP 0.75.

BIEN said global energy shocks and geopolitical tensions could further worsen inflation in the coming months.

The group said the current PHP 550 daily minimum wage is far below the estimated family living wage of PHP 1,312 per day, leaving workers hundreds of pesos short of what they need to support their families.

The situation is particularly difficult for business process outsourcing workers, BIEN said.

Based on BIEN’s consultations, many BPO workers in Iloilo receive only about PHP 13,000 in monthly basic pay despite being part of an industry that generated about USD 40 billion in revenue in 2025.

“BPO workers help generate billions in profits for multinational corporations, yet many remain trapped in wages that cannot even cover basic food, rent, transportation, and utilities,” said Christine Agan, vice president for external affairs of BIEN Philippines.

BIEN said the proposed PHP 800 minimum wage still falls short of the family living wage but would serve as an urgent relief measure to help workers recover some of the lost value of their earnings.

The organization also urged the government to provide subsidies and tax relief to micro and small enterprises to help them absorb the impact of wage increases without compromising their operations.

BPO workers expressed support for the petition, saying higher wages are needed to cope with the rising cost of living.

“Ako kay kaisa sa petition dahil sa panahon ngayon hindi na sapat ang kinikita ng mga BPO agents sa pang suporta sa aming pamilya,” said Vince, who has worked in the BPO industry for two years.

“I support the petition because the income of BPO agents is no longer enough to support our families,” he said.

Luke, a BIEN Iloilo member who has worked in the BPO industry for three years, also backed the proposal.

“Nagapati ako nga bilang isa ka mamumugon, deserve sang tanan ang minimum wage nga fair ang makabuluhi.”

“I believe that as workers, everyone deserves a fair minimum wage that is enough to provide a decent living,” he said.

BIEN called on the RTWPB Region 6 to immediately begin deliberations on the petition and grant substantial wage relief for workers across Western Visayas.