By Helen Castaño | 07:35 PM August 10, 2023
With surging costs of fuel and basic goods, several labor groups and unions on Thursday called on Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) – Central Visayas to approve a P100 increase in the daily minimum wage in the province of Bohol.
Fel Aparre of Partido Manggagawa (PM)-Bohol Sentro ng Nagkakaisang at Progresibong Manggagawa said that the minimum wage has remained stagnant.
” The minimum wage is never truly a living wage,” he said. “It has done less to reflect the true value of workers and no longer supports families in a way that promotes health and keeps them out of poverty.”
The current minimum wage in Bohol province is P397.
Aparre said many workers were lamenting the increasing costs of goods and services caused by steep fuel prices and compounded by inflation.
He added that while the wealthy could absorb the higher costs of living, ordinary families might not.
On Thursday, other organizations in the province also attended the wage public hearing. They were the Bohol Alliance of Labor Organizations, Bohol Light Employees Union and Tagbilaran Coca-Cola Plant Employees Union.
Food delivery riders had a unity ride before attending the public hearing held at Kew Hotel in Tagbilaran City at 1 p. m.
It was also attended by stakeholders in the labor industry.
