NCR wage board approves P1,000 raise for domestic workers
THE National Capital Region (NCR) Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board has approved a P1,000 increase in monthly pay for domestic workers in Metro Manila, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said.
In an online briefing, DoLE’s Information and Publication Service Director IV Raul M. Francia said the NCR wage board ordered on Wednesday afternoon the additional P1,000, which brings minimum monthly pay for domestic workers to P6,000.
“The decision is being transmitted as we speak to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) for review and eventual affirmation tomorrow,” Mr. Francia said.
Mr. Francia noted that about 200,000 domestic workers in Metro Manila are expected to benefit from the minimum wage increase.
He noted that the Calabarzon and Soccsksargen regional wage boards have yet to approve orders to increase pay for domestic workers.
Mr. Francia earlier said the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has an autonomous government that is free to impose its own wage hikes.
DoLE said earlier that it expected domestic worker wages in 13 regions to be raised to P4,500 to P5,000.
Metro Manila’s minimum wage increased by P33 on June 4, bringing the daily minimum wage to P570 for workers in nonagricultural jobs, and P533 for those in agricultural jobs.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said the pay hikes are not enough to make up for the recent increase in fuel prices and do nothing to bring workers out of poverty.
The Department of Interior and Local Government directed barangays on Tuesday to implement the registration of domestic workers, which is intended to provide them with access to social services and protect them from exploitation.
A survey conducted in 2019 by DoLE and the Philippine Statistics Authority found that 83% of the 1.4 million domestic workers in the Philippines receive no social security benefits.
Globally, only about 6% of domestic workers have access to comprehensive protections covering medical care, sickness, and unemployment, according to a study conducted by the International Labour Organization. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
