The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas is expected to tackle the proposed Pandemic Emergency Relief Allowance (PERA) for workers in their next meeting in May.
In the regular meeting of the Board on Friday, April 23, they passed a unanimous resolution for the Board to take action on wage determination by motu proprio, Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Associations and RTWPB labor representative, said.
Two management representatives to the Board manifested their disapproval of the proposed P20 to P25 per day pandemic emergency relief allowance as an immediate economic relief amid the pandemic in their April 8 meeting.
The proposal was submitted by the labor leaders in October 2020, and was referred to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) for clarification as to whether the manifestation is valid for the Board to take appropriate action.
In a reply letter to the Board dated April 19, NWPC Executive Director Maria Criselda Sy clarified that under the Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination, the commencement of the minimum wage determination process may be done “moto proprio” by the Board or by petition of any party.
NWPC explained further that the labor sector manifestation and their position paper could not be likened to a petition as they were merely seeking the Board’s discussion on the propriety of granting the pandemic allowance considering the regional socio-economic conditions.
Sancho said that NWPC supported the conclusion in their position paper, stating that “the 10 percent erosion on the value of the purchasing power of the nominal wage can be used as a warning signal to review whether the prevailing minimum wage still serves its purpose in protecting the vulnerable workers from the vagaries of the market.”
NWPC advised the Board by way of policy direction that it may convene and review whether the regional socio-economic conditions could support the granting of said proposed PERA considering the manifestation and position paper of the labor sector representatives.
“The Board shall decide as a collegial body whether it will commence the wage determination process in motu propio,” he said.
The Board is expected to take action in their next meeting on May 12.*