Western visayas: The Department of Labor and Employment in Western Visayas (DOLE-6) has appealed to employers to “implement religiously” the adjustment in the minimum wage which takes effect in the region on Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the labor and employment office stated that Wage Order No. RBVI-29 is “just, fair and responsive.” DOLE-6 Regional Director Sixto Rodriquez Jr. emphasized that as the economy grows, every worker in Western Visayas shares in that progress.

The order mandates an adjustment of PHP37 for establishments employing more than 10 workers, bringing their minimum wage to PHP550 from PHP513. A PHP40 increase is implemented for those with 10 workers or fewer, raising their minimum wage to PHP525 from PHP485. For the agricultural sector, the minimum wage is adjusted to PHP520 from PHP480, representing an increase of PHP40. Furthermore, the monthly minimum wage for kasambahay (domestic workers) was also adjusted to PHP6,500 from PHP6,000.

Rodriquez appealed to employers to comply with the new rate as part of their shared responsibility to promote decent work and fair treatment in the labor sector. In a separate interview, Eon Group of Companies chairperson Felix Tiu expressed concerns, stating that they will study the impacts of the adjustment as it poses a significant challenge to their expenditures. Despite the potential financial strain, Tiu noted that Eon Group does not plan to retrench workers and aims to expand their business to create more job opportunities.