Palace hopes acceptable wage board decision

Malacañang is hopeful that an "acceptable" decision on wage hike petitions would be arrived at soon as labor groups press the government for higher pay because of rising consumer prices.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the National Wages and Productivity Commission is now conducting public hearings to hear both the employers and the workers and discuss possible wage adjustments.

"We hope a decision, which is acceptable to both parties, would be made soon," Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo said the government has undertaken measures to soften the impact of rising prices while wage boards are deciding on the wage hike petitions.

"For the time being, the government has decisively acted to tame inflation. Our people are beginning to feel the effects with the price of rice starting to go down," he said.

Panelo cited the suggested retail price program and prescribed labeling for milled rice, efforts that are intended to shield consumers from profiteers.

"The Office of the President, together with the relevant agencies of the government, will closely monitor inflation to ensure that our economy will continue to be advantageous to the Filipino people," he added.

Inflation or the rate at which the prices of goods and services is rising, hit a record high 6.7 percent last month because of rising global oil prices.

Metro Manila's wage board has already completed its consultations on the petitions for wage hike last Friday. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is seeking a P334 increase in Metro Manila's daily minimum wage of P475 to P512 while the Association of Minimum Wage Earners and Advocates is pushing for a P688 pay hike.