Workers across the MIMAROPA region expressed gratitude for the newly approved wage increase, which will take effect before Christmas.
“This will be a big help, especially for someone like me who works 12-hour shifts as a security guard. I hope businesses implement it immediately,” said Jayme Tejoso, a security guard in Romblon.
Christine Fetalino, who works at a coffee shop, said they were thrilled to hear the news and eagerly awaited the wage increase, adding that the announcement has motivated them to work even harder.
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board approved the wage hike on November 27 and confirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) on December 5, alongside a similar increase for workers in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Under the new wage order, establishments with 10 and above employees will have a minimum wage of ₱430 per day, while those with fewer than 10 employees will have a minimum of ₱404 per day.
“In affirming the wage orders, the NWPC found that both regions complied with the criteria for determining wage increases under Republic Act Nos. 6727 and 10361, which include the needs of workers and their families, the capacity of employers to pay, and the requirements of economic and social development in the region,” the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said in a statement.
Also, domestic workers in MIMAROPA will see a ₱1,000 increase in their monthly salary, raising the minimum to ₱6,500 starting December 23.
DOLE estimates that 74,961 minimum wage earners in MIMAROPA and CAR, including 40,116 domestic workers, will benefit from this wage adjustment.
