The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-VII officially commenced the public consultations on June 25, 2026, in Cebu City as part of its preparations for the possible determination of a new minimum wage rate in Central Visayas.

Representatives from labor and employer groups participated in the consultation, presenting their respective positions and concerns on the prevailing wage levels in the region.

Labor groups argued that the current daily minimum wage rates—₱540 in Class A areas and ₱500 in Class B areas—have been significantly eroded by rising costs of basic commodities, fuel, utilities, and other essential goods. They pointed to the region’s inflation rate of 10.8 percent in May 2026, the highest among all regions in the country, as evidence of the growing financial burden on workers.

Several wage petitions were formally presented during the consultation. Leading the labor sector’s proposals, Partido Manggagawa (PM), represented by Mr. Dennis Derige and its allied organizations, filed a petition seeking an immediate across-the-board ₱100 emergency wage increase.

“The current minimum wage no longer reflects the realities of household expenses. Workers deserve a rate that allows them to live decently,” Derige said.

Meanwhile, the Cebu Chapter of the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) submitted a petition seeking a uniform regional minimum wage of ₱1,200 per day. The group cited recent economic developments and other supervening events as justification for the issuance of a new wage order ahead of the anniversary of the existing one.

On the other hand, employer representatives emphasized the need to strike a balance between improving workers’ welfare and ensuring business sustainability. They expressed concern that substantial wage increases could adversely affect enterprises, particularly micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.

“We recognize the needs of workers, but we also face challenges in keeping businesses afloat amid increasing operational costs,” an employer representative said during the consultation.

Presiding over the meeting, RTWPB-VII Vice Chairperson Esperanza Melgar, Regional Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) RO7, assured stakeholders that the Board is thoroughly evaluating all relevant economic indicators and possible scenarios as part of the wage determination process.

For her part, Atty. Evita Mendoza-Balane, Head of the RTWPB-VII Secretariat, clarified that while the Board is actively analyzing economic data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the DTI, any action on wage petitions must strictly adhere to the prescribed guidelines and procedures.

Atty. Evita Mendoza-Balane, Board Secretary of the RTWPB-VII, clarified that while the board is actively analyzing economic data from the PSA and the DTI, the process must be in consonance with the guidelines. She explained that the consultations are being conducted to gather stakeholders’ views and sentiments regarding the wage increase proposals, particularly in light of the petitions filed before the Board.
Atty. Mendoza-Balane likewise emphasized that the consultations do not yet mark the formal commencement of the minimum wage determination process. She said that wage determination process officially begins only upon the publication of a Notice of Public Hearing and the subsequent conduct of public hearings.

The Cebu City consultation serves as the first leg of a series of stakeholder dialogues that RTWPB-VII will conduct across the region to ensure that the views of workers, employers, and other sectors are adequately heard and considered.

The succeeding consultations are scheduled as follows:

• July 9, 2026 – Bogo City, Cebu;
• July 15, 2026 – Tagbilaran City, Bohol;
• August 5, 2026 – Balamban, Cebu.

(Atty. Jess Russell F. Jumalon)