Wage hike takes effect in ARMM

The R15-pay increase granted by the regional wage board to workers in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) took effect yesterday.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) said with Wage Order No. ARMM-17 in effect, non-agricultural workers will now have a daily minimum wage rate of R280, and R270 for agricultural workers.

Covered by the ARMM wage order issued on April 23 are the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Basilan.

As to minimum wage earners in Eastern Visayas, they will receive their own salary hikes by June 25 where Wage Order No. RB VIII-20 is set to take effect.

Based on the said wage order, non-agricultural workers are set to get R305 minimum wage per day after sugar mills and retail/service with 11 or more workers got R20 and R30, respectively.

Cottage/Handicraft and Retail/ Service with 10 workers and below, meanwhile, get R22 and R30 pay increases, respectively, to earn a similar R275 minimum wage rate.

As for agricultural workers, they are now set to get R275 minimum pay after non-sugar and sugar farm workers were granted pay hikes amounting to R 24 and P30, respectively.

The Wage Order also approved the integration of a R7 cost of living allowance into the basic pay.

The Eastern Visayas wage board issued the wage order May 7.

Covered in the wage order are the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar.