Northern Mindanao minimum wage earners, Metro Manila household workers to get pay raise

Metro Manila, Philippines - Minimum wage earners in Northern Mindanao and household workers in Metro Manila would get a pay raise beginning January, according to an order of the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said its attached agency, the NWPC, approved the wage order for Northern Mindanao private workers on Dec. 18, granting an increase of P23 for the non-agriculture sector and P35 for the agriculture sector in two tranches.

“These increases will bring the minimum wage rates in the region to a range of P446 to P461 upon full implementation and will effectively eliminate the sectoral rate differentiation between the non-agriculture and agriculture sectors reflecting the Board’s ongoing efforts to streamline its wage classification structure,” the DOLE said on Thursday, Dec. 26.

The DOLE also said a P1,000 monthly increase for the region’s domestic workers was granted.

The two wage orders will be effective on Jan. 12.

On the other hand, household workers in Metro Manila will also have a P500 increase to bring the monthly minimum wage to P7,000. This will take effect on Jan. 4.

The DOLE said 14 regional wage boards issued daily wage increases that benefit 4.9 million workers.

Nine regional boards granted pay hikes for 717,000 domestic workers.

“In addition, about 7,528,968 full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage may also indirectly benefit as a result of upward adjustments at the enterprise level arising from the correction of wage distortion,” the DOLE said.

Meanwhile, the Bicol region wage board deferred its decision to February to give time for businesses to adjust in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).

The Davao wage board will have its minimum wage determination process in January.