Johnny, make I gist you about wetin dey happen for Mindanao wey go make you vex small.
So, as we dey enter 2026, our organized labor people don begin dey shout because two regions for Mindanao, Region 5 (Bicol) and Region 11 (Davao), never still release their wage increase orders. E be like say dem dey form lagos while other 14 regions don already drop their minimum wage increase dem before 2025 comot.
The Federation of Free Workers (FFW) don show say this no be joke matter. Dem dey talk say workers for these regions no suppose dey wait gree gree for any small increase, especially as food, transportation, electricity, and rent don dey rise like hot amala wey dey rise for pot. Na so dem take call this matter “structural defects” for the wage-setting system for di country.
FFW president, Atty. Sonny Matula, no gree let matter slide as e talk am clear say, “A wage policy wey produce such outcomes no fit be called development, e be institutionalized deprivation.” E mean say this one fit make anybody wey no get sense begin dey feel like say dem dey thief dem food.
Wetin dey shock pass be say the salary matter dey cause serious wahala across di regions. Di farther you waka from Metro Manila, na so di wage floor dey drop. Right now, for Metro wey be the National Capital Region (NCR), workers dey chop minimum wage wey dey between P658 to P695, while for di Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), dem dey fight for pittance between P386 to P411. Abeg, see di difference; na over P280 every day na dem dey lose!
Even Palawan wey suppose dey enjoy beach life, di minimum wage dey waka like snail, no fit catch up with NCR despite say dem dey feel di heat for food and fuel prices wey dey rise too. Batanes wey dey tip-top dem dey collect wage wey no fit stand any ground, all because of where dem dey stay.
Matula dey yarn say this one show say location no suppose determine how much person go collect for salary, rather na human need and wetin life dey cost suppose dey guide wage. E dey urge say make dem just create one national wage hike wey go fit reach everybody, no matter di region. Make all di RTWPBs fit follow this standard, so dem no go dey use delay and inequality dey scatter una money!
For di matter, Labor Secretary Bienvenio Laguesma don talk say, “no worry, soon we go start di wage determination process for Region 5 and 11 by January and February 2026 respectively.” He talk say di other regions wey don issue their orders don dey give minimum wage increases wey range from P20 to P100.
No forget say e no be only private sector workers go benefit. Dem don also issue wage increases for domestic workers wey dey range from P300 to P2,000 monthly. Over 4.5 million minimum wage earners and 755,000 domestic workers go chop from dis plan wey dem don put in place for 2025. Na better gist for di streets!
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