Caraga – In line with its mandate under Republic Act No, 6727 otherwise known as the Wage Rationalization Act, the regional board conducted its wage consultation on October 21 in Agusan del Sur, covering the provinces of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur; and October 23 in Butuan City, covering the provinces of Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Agusan del Norte.
The consultation was attended by representatives of the province’s chamber and labor union, together with resource persons from the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Agriculture.
The Caraga Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) Chairperson and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Carga Director Joffrey M. Suyao shared to the participants the importance of the wage consultation, as part of the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure timely review of the minimum wage in the region.
Dir. Suyao further emphasized that the comments and insights of the chamber and labor union will serve as a valuable input in the wage determination process.
Board Vice Chairperson and NEDA Caraga Director Gemima A. Olam presented the socio-economic status of Caraga emphasizing that the region ranked 3rd fastest growing among the regions in Mindanao, and 12th among regions in the country in 2023. Further, the region registered 2nd lowest poverty incidence among the regions in Mindanao, and 10th among the regions in the country for the year 2023.
At the end of the consultation, Suyao expressed his appreciation to the resource persons for the valuable insights they provided to the board and extended similar appreciation to the chamber and labor union for actively participating in the consultation.
Pursuant to Wage Order No. 18 which took effect on January 1, 2024, the current minimum wage of Caraga is P385. (Atty. Lorainne D. Sacote, RTWPB-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
