May Labor Day Issue in the Philippines

Regional Wage Boards (RWB) who are yet to go through deliberations for the new wage levels in their respective regions before May 1, Labor Day, may have to go overtime, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has instructed recently. 

  This as the rest of the country's labor force takes a breather Thursday, one of the country's few unmoved holidays.

  While some of the country's holidays have been moved for reasons of "holiday economics," Proclamation 1463 has earlier noted that "May 1 has been a long and cherished tradition of workers.

  It added that the "holiday has trade unions [fighting] very hard to institutionalize in the country and in international events, [so] that the workers want to celebrate on its exact date,"  

  Moreover, in the stalemate, the President has also enjoined private firms to extend to their employees non-wage benefits.

  She pointed out that the non-wage benefits that include rice, canned goods and shuttle services would go a long way to augment workers' take-home pay in the face of rising prices of basic commodities. 

  Stressing the urgency of the situation for the RWBs to present new wage scales, the President personally instructed them to work overtime to reach a decision on the new wage levels in their respective regions, said Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio Bunye.  

  Bunye, who also sits as concurrent Press Secretary said the President issued her directive to Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, in efforts to ensure that the RWBs get cracking on the wage issue "even if it means they have to work on May 1, a non-working day for the rest of the country."

  Earlier, Roque said that officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will meet on Friday "to discuss the means on how we can fast-track the wage discussions and deliberations."

  But the President, apparently worried that the RWBs won't be able to come up with agreements by Labor Day, said they must continue working on proposed new wage levels through May 1. 
  "The President reminded the Regional Wage Boards of the urgency of setting new wage levels, taking into account the rising cost of commodity prices," Bunye said.