There's one piece of good news (according to government officials) had gone unnoticed amidst the string of bad news on oil price hikes in the past weeks.
That news: minimum-wage earners in the Calabarzon region have received a wage hike this month.
Last April 1, the second tranche of Wage Order No. IVA-22 officially takes effect, adjusting the daily minimum wage rates for workers in private establishments across the CALABARZON region.
This wage increase, issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board IV-A (RTWPB IV-A), provides additional salary adjustments following the first tranche implemented on October 5, 2025.
The adjustments meant that minimum-wage earners in Calabarzon now get a daily average rate of P525 to P600.
The wage order in the region covers both non-agricultural and agricultural workers, including those employed in retail and service establishments, though specific rates may vary depending on the sector and size of the enterprise.
In a media interview, Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) Calabarzon Secretary Atty. Rio Ariel Soriano claimed that any wage adjustment in the region has a wide-reaching impact on both workers and the local economy.
“Inaasahan natin sa mga makakatanggap nito na kahit papaano na magkaroon ng karagdagang purchasing power na hoping na makapag-cope sa kasalukuyang nararanasang paghihikahos dito sa ating bansa in line sa mga kaganapang hindi naman natin ganap na nakokontrol,” the official was quoted as saying.
“At the same time, tinitiyak din natin na balanse ang desisyon upang hindi naman mahirapan ang ating mga negosyo, lalo na ang maliliit na kumpanya,” he added.
But the big question is: is even this enough to cover our workers' daily expenses in light of soaring gas prices in recent weeks?
Whereas gas prices doubled from P60 to more than P100 per liter last March, wages of the average worker in the region increased by mere P23 to P40.
What is clear is that the latest wage hike isn't even enough to cushion the domino effect of the big-time oil price hikes, while the national government has stalled policies that could've softened the blow to the ordinary consumers.
#OpinyonLaguna #Labor #Calabarzon