Inaprubahan ng Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) ang dagdag P35 sa daily minimum wage ng mga manggagawa sa pribadong sektor sa National Capital Region (NCR). Ibig sabihin, mula sa P610 na minimum wage kada araw ay tataas na ito sa P645.
Umani naman ito ng batikos mula sa ilang labor groups na itinuring itong malaking insulto sa mga manggagawa. Hindi rin daw sapat ang umentong P35 sa sahod para pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan ng mga manggagawa.
Ang mga naging batayan ng RTWPB para sa dagdag-sahod, alamin sa panayam ng Regional Director ng DOLE-NCR na si Atty. Sarah Buena Mirasol dito sa #TheMangahasInterviews.
Umani naman ito ng batikos mula sa ilang labor groups na itinuring itong malaking insulto sa mga manggagawa. Hindi rin daw sapat ang umentong P35 sa sahod para pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan ng mga manggagawa.
Ang mga naging batayan ng RTWPB para sa dagdag-sahod, alamin sa panayam ng Regional Director ng DOLE-NCR na si Atty. Sarah Buena Mirasol dito sa #TheMangahasInterviews.
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NewsTranscript
00:0035 pesos per day wage increase. Is that enough or not?
00:10Labor groups say 150 pesos. The Senate says 100 pesos.
00:16We will talk to Atty. Sara Buena Mirasol, Regional Director of NCR of the Department of Labor and Employment
00:25and Chair of the Regional Tripartite Wages Productivity Board.
00:29Good day, Atty. Sara.
00:31Good day, Ma'am Malo, and good day to our listeners in your program.
00:38Okay. So, let's start. 35 pesos per day increase in the minimum daily wage in NCR.
00:48So, this is 645 pesos per day.
00:51Do you think this is enough or can it be stretched and increased?
00:57In terms of appeal, it's okay. Stakeholders can appeal this 35 pesos increase.
01:07If this is enough, we just base it on inflation, productivity, and the criteria that are included in the rules on wage determination.
01:23Okay. Please explain the rules and RTWPB.
01:28Who are the bodies and how did you decide or research before having an order of 35 pesos wage increase?
01:39As to the composition, the wage board is a seven-month membership.
01:47There are two employer reps, two labor rep representatives, and three government representatives composed of DTI, NEDA, and of course, DOLE being the chair of the wage board.
02:01How did we arrive?
02:04This is not easy because in the rules, what are the criteria?
02:12Of course, there is a demand for living wage, the cost of living, the capacity of the employers to pay, and our attraction to investment, growth, and countryside development.
02:31So we also base a lot of criteria and the labor group says that the current minimum wage of P610 is not enough and this is based on their assessment of the cost of living and living wage.
02:53In the Philippines, in the Philippine setting, we do not have a definition of living wage.
03:00There is no enabling law. Even the international labor organization, the ILO, does not have a definition of living wage.
03:11And of course, this is not the only basis and we are also looking at, of course, the employers, the MSMEs, because this is also a big effect of raising the minimum wage for our MSMEs.
03:30Okay. All right.
03:30Did you have a heated discussion with the board before there was a consensus?
03:36Is this a consensus or majority win in the vote?
03:39Majority wins. What the labor group is asking for is P150 and also P100 because this is the legislated wage increase that the Senate approved.
03:53So on the part of employer rep, of course, they will not allow P100 because it is too big and it has a big effect on the MSMEs.
04:08And we have based data, for example, on inflation, productivity, or growth in the regional NCR.
04:21So that is what we are based on, like the regional GDP because the regional GDP last year is 4.48
04:33and the inflation, the CPI from last year, we based it on the wage order, P118.
04:41This means the prices of goods that are measured by the PSA.
04:47So there is an erosion of P610, P17 for erosion.
04:55So the value went down from P610 to P500 plus.
05:00So those are our considerations.
05:03We based it on the data provided by the PSA.
05:08All right. But attorney, they said that the CPI, Consumer Price Index, the PSA food basket,
05:16there is also an inflation rate that is like an aggregate and the food inflation is really very high.
05:23In real life, that is P645.
05:26What can you buy from that?
05:28Because rice now goes up to P50 to P70 per kilo.
05:32Massage costs almost doubled.
05:35Children's expenses, electricity, gas, water.
05:40In real life, it's hard to afford a family of three or two children.
05:47Yes, I understand what the labor groups are saying.
05:54But here in the Regional Wage Board, our mandate is to review the socioeconomic conditions every year.
06:06So every year for the past two years, we were able to increase the wages.
06:12Since 2022, it's already P108.
06:17So we started in 2022 at P33.
06:22Last year, we have P40 and now P35.
06:26In our mandate, we are guided by the principle of predictable, regular, adequate wage adjustment
06:35so that employers can prepare for such increases.
06:41Predictable meaning, employers will adjust every year that there is a possibility always to increase the minimum every year.
06:51And within 60 days of the anniversary date of the wage order,
06:56regardless of whether there is a petition or not,
07:00we are mandated to review or conduct public consultations and public hearings
07:08so that we can still look at the socioeconomic conditions of the region.
07:13To be honest, is 645 times 22 working days our number?
07:20Yes, it depends. There are 20 days, 24 days, and also 22 days.
07:27Because it depends on our employers how many days they work per month.
07:36So it's easy to say that there is an average of P14,100 a month.
07:42What is the possible impact of minimum wage earners monthly?
07:48But does this include SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG?
07:54So how much is the net monthly wage that will come out?
07:59Yes, of course there is a corresponding increase.
08:04If we increase the minimum wage, it will also affect the social benefits that our employees will receive.
08:15There is also an increase in the cost to the employer as well as what will be the net pay of our workers.
08:27So it's around P800 or that's the total.
08:32But on the part of the employer, their cost is higher because the employer share is higher.
08:40SSS, okay.
08:42So it means that it will net about P13,000.
08:46Yes.
08:48That's also what the Philippine Statistics Authority considered as a suggested living wage.
08:57But what other groups say, including Senators, including Senate President Chris Escudero,
09:04the TUCP, the Yvonne Foundation, it's around P23,000 to P26,000 that is the living wage now.
09:14Yes.
09:16We are only guided by our criteria, our rules.
09:24So it's within that.
09:26If ever our leaders in Congress say something, maybe they will also look at our law.
09:39If ever.
09:40Because for us, we are just implementing and we are looking at it.
09:44Our leeway is not that big if we are not guided by the principle, by the rules on wage determination.
09:52And in case it's not enough, then the Congress comes in to review the rules, the law that created the RTWP.
10:04Attorney, let's just clarify.
10:07In different regions, the minimum wage is different.
10:13In BARM, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslimin Danau, it's less than half of P645.
10:22In the non-agricultural sector, it's also small, almost half of P645.
10:27Can you explain?
10:28Because it's not understood by our citizens that the expenses of the Filipino families are the same as the rising prices.
10:39Let's look at the socioeconomic conditions.
10:42Meaning, are there investors in the area?
10:46Are there many businesses in the area?
10:48So those are our considerations, not just on the part of labor, but also on employment, investment, development of the wage boards.
11:00So the landscape is really different.
11:04For example, in NCR, it's a service sector.
11:07We don't have much agriculture but in other regions, they are mostly agriculture.
11:14Their industry is agriculture.
11:17So the key employment generators are different.
11:21The regions are also different in terms of investors and businesses.
11:27Is there a chance that across the board, across the Philippines, there is only one daily wage band, upper and lower?
11:38Because there is a big difference.
11:41BARM is 200 and other regions are only 300 plus.
11:46Again, in our law, in the rules of wage determination, we are looking at the lowest wage.
11:57We don't look at it.
12:00We don't have a mandate to look at the across the board for all wages.
12:06So we are looking at it for the protection of our workers who have a certain minimum wage that cannot go down.
12:14Because of the cost of living, so that our workers can work.
12:22In the past decades, it seems that the rise of the minimum wage has been slow.
12:29Across 40 years, it hasn't doubled yet.
12:36And there are presidents who are really biased.
12:39There are presidents who are fierce when it comes to increasing the minimum wage.
12:43Is this decision of yours affected by the policies of Malacanang?
12:49We have a mandate.
12:52It is stated that before there is a pronouncement by the administration,
12:59RTWPB has been making their mandate over the years to look at the minimum wage.
13:08So we are non-political and we have our own decision and we are guided by technical rules and data.
13:24So we are based on that.
13:26Does the Labor Secretary have a say or an advisory that this is what we can increase?
13:36For us, we are just guided.
13:40He is saying, let the boards decide.
13:43That is what our Secretary-General always says.
13:48Independent, it's a tripartite body and it's not just DOLE because it is a tripartite body
13:56represented by the labor sector, the employer sector, as well as the government.
14:04But they say that the problem here is parity of voice and parity of privileges.
14:10If there are seven members of the regional tripartite wages productivity board,
14:15of course, there are three governments and two employers.
14:18If the government does not join the two labor sectors, of course, it will always lose.
14:23What do you think about that?
14:25RTWPB has always joined the employers.
14:30We are also looking at that.
14:33Not often, but as much as possible, we want it to be more of an agreement.
14:41Actually, this came out of our public consultation, public hearing,
14:46that this is a negotiation between the employer and the labor sector.
14:53The government will only come in to provide technical inputs.
15:02As much as possible, we don't want to be in one position or the other.
15:09The government will only go to balance the interests of the labor and the employer.
15:19It's hard for us to agree, but in the end, we need to do that.
15:27Not because we want to, but we are guided by our mandate,
15:32what we can see as the basis to come up with the increase.
15:40Just to be clear, who was called by the employers and labor when you made the decision of P35?
15:48The body of labor, the TUCP, was Atty. Aragon, Ma'am Angel, Senyorina,
15:59and also before, on the part of the employer, Roland Moya and Freddy Marquez in ECO.
16:10And on the part of NEDA, ASECRE and DTI, of course, Director Narag.
16:18So everything is at the regional level.
16:21Alright.
16:22Tell us, when the board has a meeting, what is it like?
16:26Calm, noisy, quarrelsome, how is it?
16:31Because I know it's hard to have an agreement because in the end,
16:36the majority vote will be divided.
16:40How did this happen in this discussion?
16:43Our discussion was calm.
16:48I gave the employer sector a chance to speak just to reiterate their arguments.
16:57And also on the labor sector, I asked how much they wanted to increase
17:03and they were able to say 150.
17:06The stand of the labor group, the labor organization, was also reiterated.
17:13But on the part of the employer, of course, they will base the data.
17:27And they said that the rules and the statistical data that we see, like the growth, the inflation, they are there.
17:39So it means that if 150 per day was calculated to increase the TUCP or labor,
17:45what is the calculation of the employer? Is it 35?
17:48No, it's even lower.
17:51It's lower and we started with at least P20.
17:56So we increased it.
17:59I said that it can't be too small because the demand of labor is too far.
18:09What we want is at least we come up with a very reasonable wage increase.
18:19And we respect also, and I said that's how the board goes now, that we really need to vote.
18:29Alright. Now, in the past decisions of the board,
18:33did you have a chance that the labor was happy or the employer was always happy or they were both a bit sad?
18:43Yes, it's also hard on the part of the employer to give that.
18:49But there are a lot of considerations, especially in the MSMEs.
18:55How can we protect the MSMEs?
18:59Because in the public hearing, the garment sector and export,
19:07although not all are based on labor,
19:12but we hope that the garment sector will help because they are shrinking
19:19and if they increase, they might reduce their number of employees
19:27because they can't do it anymore because there are only a few orders in exports.
19:32So we are also looking at it.
19:35We also provide exemptions for those sectors or industries that have not yet recovered from the pandemic.
19:48So we are also looking at how we can advocate to help them.
19:53You mentioned the MSMEs, micro, small, and medium enterprises,
19:57but they are also included in the so-called informal sector
20:02or those that are not yet part of the labor standards.
20:08If there is a minimum wage, you mentioned exemptions,
20:11how big is the percentage of compliance of our establishments?
20:16How many are not covered in your monitoring because it is an informal sector?
20:22Yes, we have a technical advisory visit to help our micro establishments.
20:31We are also looking at their compliance, but surprisingly, they are compliant.
20:38The compliance rate of our MSMEs is high.
20:42So far this year, because we conduct a technical advisory visit,
20:47we are also looking at their compliance on minimum wage.
20:51They are already micro, they don't have an exemption, but they still comply with the minimum wage.
20:57But how many are asking for exemptions?
21:00And what are the rules that if you give them, they can't comply with the minimum wage?
21:07Yes, there are two mechanisms.
21:13First is we have a BMBE law.
21:18It's a law that exempts the micro from the implementation of the minimum wage.
21:26They will just get an exemption from DTI.
21:29And then in the wage order, there are those affected by calamity
21:37and of course, those below 10, employing 10 workers are exempted from the minimum wage.
21:45So it's easy to say, the sector is big and it's not at all required or can be exempted from the implementation of the minimum wage of 645. Is that right?
21:56Yes, there are many, but the exemption is not automatic.
22:00They need to apply to RTWPB and we have to determine because even MSMEs,
22:12we are inspecting all establishments and we will also look at their documents if they are exempted from the minimum wage.
22:24What if you are not able to monitor because maybe you don't have enough people,
22:30you can only inspect a few pieces.
22:33Second, what if you are a doctor?
22:35Or as they say, cook the books.
22:37It's not like they are really being paid like that, but you know the stories, right?
22:44Sometimes they don't pay the SSS, sometimes they don't comply, that's their salary,
22:49they are not really being paid by the workers.
22:52So how many cases do you have and if you prove that they are really non-compliant, what are the penalties?
23:00The penalties are low.
23:04There is an imposition of fine as well as imprisonment, but the penalty is very small, less than one year.
23:16So six months to one year only.
23:18As regards the minimum wage, if they are not compliant, there is a corrective measure.
23:25The MSMEs were given a corrective period to comply and we help them in compliance.
23:34So they will first correct their underpayment.
23:40Once there is one, they are okay.
23:44But we continuously conduct inspections for one time because especially when it comes to complaint inspection,
23:52we will really look at the basis of the complaint and we will look at the employment records to comply
24:01or to see if there is really an underpayment of minimum wage.
24:06You said the penalty is small, how much is that?
24:09It's small because it's double indemnity.
24:13So it's double if they are not able to pay and that is when it becomes final and executory.
24:20And then of course, we need to prosecute the violators of minimum wage.
24:32So you have a minimum daily wage of P645, but you are working to monitor the non-compliance.
24:43How long is that period?
24:45It's like you are caught as non-compliant or underpayment.
24:49Then you are investigated, prosecuted.
24:53How long will the affected workers wait?
24:57We are giving them enough time, 10 days for our employers to correct.
25:03So it's not long.
25:06If they are still not at the plant level, we are just saying at the correction level that they will submit documents,
25:16evidencing that they have already paid their workers.
25:21They still have enough time even if they are not in the corrective period.
25:26We are calling them for a conference for the employees to prove if they have already been paid or not.
25:36Give us an idea, how many employers are in the case build-up, investigation, prosecution of the board?
25:46For NCR, our target for inspection is 7,000.
25:55We have 26,000 micro-establishments to undergo technical and advisory visit.
26:05Around 60% of our visitors are invited to have knowledge on the compliance of minimum wage.
26:20And other labor standards like occupational safety and health standards and other general labor standards.
26:29Not just minimum wage.
26:31Attorney, please explain because this is interesting.
26:34It's not just simply appealing, but to ensure that your wage order will be fulfilled.
26:41The problem is, they say, maybe not everyone will be covered by your monitoring.
26:49Who is investigating and monitoring?
26:51We have around 200 labor inspectors.
26:55It's not enough for around large establishments and we have about 2 million workers.
27:07But every year we have targets.
27:10We are given a target by the central office to conduct routine inspection.
27:18Our inspections are not yet based on complaints.
27:25If there is a complaint, we will investigate or conduct an inspection.
27:31Okay. To be honest, how many of your inspections resulted in cases and findings of non-compliance?
27:40Every year, last year if I'm not mistaken, we issued around 2,000 compliance orders.
27:51And out of 2,000, there are different reasons why there are compliance orders.
28:01There is a monetary award as well as compliance regarding occupational safety and health standards.
28:10Attorney, when you are inspecting, what is the proof or evidence that you are looking for to say if it is compliant or non-compliant?
28:18The mechanism of our inspection, we will look at the employment records.
28:24But of course, we will not just base it on employment records because it may not be true.
28:31That's why we also interview the workers and we give weight to what the workers say
28:40because the burden of proof is on the employer that they are paying the correct minimum wage.
28:48So when they say there is a conflict, what the employment records say is that they are compliant.
28:56But what the workers say is not.
28:59Of course, we will believe that under the rules, the jurisprudence, we will believe the labor.
29:06The law favors the labor.
29:08So that is where we will base it.
29:11And unless we can see that the payroll was really accepted by the employee, then that's the time you are compliant.
29:23You said the law favors labor.
29:25But if you are a worker in a company where your work will be affected if you say the truth that your employer is non-compliant,
29:37how is that?
29:38That is a trouble for them.
29:41Yes, but we have a mechanism, we have rules that the employer should also observe due process
29:52because there are employers who remove employees that they did not observe due process.
30:00So it is important that they go through the process when they remove our employees.
30:07So our Labor Secretary, Benila Guesma, said that they can appeal.
30:13How is the process of appeal?
30:16In the issue, at the date of publication, anyone who will be affected by this wage order
30:27will have to file their appeal to the National Wages and Productivity Commission.
30:32So is your order out on June 27?
30:36Yes.
30:37The publication is on July 1.
30:43So that is the date of the reference period.
30:46So they have until July 11 to file their appeal.
30:51Has anyone submitted an appeal?
30:53So far, not yet.
30:56They are looking at it as useless and the board has already decided.
31:00It's for the board to, rather it's the NWPC to consider the merit of the petition or the appeal, sorry.
31:08Okay. Now the Senate has a proposal of P100 for the legislated wage increase.
31:14How is that?
31:15Is there any hope that it will be against the P35 that you have set?
31:23I will defer to the wisdom of the Senate or Congress on how they treat the P35.
31:31That is if they will reduce the P100 to consider the P35 or on top of the increase.
31:43Okay.
31:44If the labor situation is really good, there are projects and aid projects like DOLE like TUPAD.
31:52Why is there something like that?
31:54It's not just a direct wage increase or subsistence allowance.
32:00Why is there a DOLE managed aid program like TUPAD?
32:04The DOLE program is inclusive.
32:08It looks for displaced, disadvantaged workers, those who cannot find a job right away.
32:17We provide emergency employment.
32:21It's not just emergency employment, even livelihood.
32:26We provide livelihood, either individual livelihood assistance or for group projects.
32:35We provide an individual of P30,000 for livelihood and for group, up to P1,000,000 or P1,500,000 for the group livelihood.
32:47All right.
32:48I was told that the National Bureau of Investigation submitted a case.
32:54You were named as the coordinators of DOLE, TUPAD, and Precio Sepolito-Castelo.
33:00It's about MAGIC, which only gives P1,000 to some beneficiaries and P6,000 is given back to the coordinator.
33:10The TUPAD should be P7,000.
33:12What is the status of this complaint submitted by the NBI to Ombudsman?
33:17Insofar as the DOLE officials are concerned, including me, the criminal case against us was dismissed.
33:25But regarding the allegations, we have an adjustment.
33:33We have control measures and we have become strict on the implementation of the TUPAD program.
33:44Is this aid program, over the years, the DOLE always has cash dole outs.
33:49How effective or how problematic is it?
33:54Because they say it's given to corruption or kickback by the administrators.
34:00When we see and there are complaints from barangay officials or even private citizens who wage cut or have allegations like this,
34:12we have a mechanism, we have an investigation team and if we see evidence, we blacklist it and refer it to the DILG for proper action.
34:28Are there many of you who have been referred to the DILG as bad employers or bad enforcers of the TUPAD program?
34:37Yes, we have been referred to the DILG and the DILG issued a memo that the barangay officials should help implement and ensure that there is no anomaly.
34:54Okay.
34:55When it comes to re-election, they say that these aid programs sometimes become a hindrance for the candidates, especially the re-electionists.
35:06So there is abuse of state resources.
35:09How can you ensure that these aid programs will not be violated by the candidates?
35:17We validate the beneficiaries.
35:20We go to the barangay to see if they are really qualified or not.
35:28When it comes to implementing, when the work program is given, what will you do?
35:35We monitor it every day.
35:38This is not an aid or not being done.
35:42The allegation in Quezon City is that they did not work.
35:48So what we are doing now, we in Dole are monitoring the work every day and our payment is through remittance center.
36:02It is not cash out to us but what we are doing is through remittance centers.
36:12Alright. So to be honest, our problem now is that there are a lot of unemployed.
36:19There are also a lot of contractual or contract of service to the government.
36:27Actually, the government is our biggest employer.
36:31What is your program for NDO?
36:38I can speak of NCR.
36:40Even though we have job orders and contractuals, we also have vacancies.
36:47So we also absorb job orders and contractuals.
36:52We also help our job orders or contractuals and even the interns.
36:59We also have a government internship program.
37:02We help them to enter not only the government but also the private sector.
37:09We always have job fairs and our job fairs are also focused on the skills that are needed in a specific industry
37:21like manufacturing or other sectors.
37:26There are also specific job fairs for senior high school graduates.
37:35So we are monitoring all of these.
37:38Okay. So attorney, what is the outlook of RTWPBs in other regions?
37:44Is there a schedule for you to review and make a decision?
37:56Yes. I think the next one to conduct public consultations and public hearings is 4A.
38:04These are the big regions.
38:08They will be the next ones to conduct public consultations and public hearings.
38:23So you said 4A and 4B.
38:26It looks like this is the center of our many employees.
38:31Are they the last ones in 645? What is the difference?
38:38The difference in 4A is almost less than 100.
38:46Yes. Because there are also different ones. There is the industrial, there is the backward,
38:51including Quezon, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna which is an industrial park, industrial sector.
39:01They are manufacturing. So the landscape of 4A is different.
39:08In NCR, it is a service sector.
39:13Okay. You mentioned earlier that the garment sector is appealing.
39:18They have few orders and they are having a hard time to revive their sector.
39:25Who are the other industries that have lobbies that can say,
39:30or that reached out to you that we cannot increase the wage?
39:36Export is one of them and the education industry.
39:41Our educational institutions cannot increase their tuition fees because tuition fees depend on the salary of our teaching and non-teaching personnel.
39:57So the education industry is appealing not to increase because they cannot increase when there is a wage order
40:08because they cannot increase their tuition fees.
40:13Okay. Garments, export sector, education.
40:17Is the real estate sector also appealing?
40:21No.
40:22For construction and those who are working daily?
40:31Yes. But generally, construction is dictating the salary because there is a high demand for construction industry.
40:45Their workforce needs construction companies.
40:53So it's not small, they are not asking for it because construction is skills-based.
41:01Okay. Should the government follow your wage order?
41:07I hope so. But the dollar is not in the government sector.
41:16All right. But when we say workers, the definition is employer-employee contract.
41:23When it comes to the government, it's the same.
41:27Except that there are national government agencies, local government, etc. and corporations.
41:33How can we protect our workers in the public sector?
41:38If they have complaints, they will run to the civil service.
41:42We only support private establishments.
41:46But if the government sector engages a third-party contractor, the contractor should comply with the minimum wage.
41:57The contractor should be included in the janitorial services, security services, etc.
42:03Yes.
42:05But the contract of service should not be included in the work of the government, the direct hire.
42:11The direct hire by the government agencies should not be included.
42:17Those affected by the private sector or the public sector should also not be included?
42:24Those affected by the private sector should also be included. They have to comply with the minimum wage.
42:32Okay.
42:34As for me, regardless of my personal conviction, I know personally that I do not agree with the labor sector.
42:50But as I said, the RTWPB is a collegial decision and I am just one vote.
42:58So I need at least four to get the majority.
43:04Okay. So those four votes are for the labor sector.
43:09The four or five votes are for the government and employers. Is that so?
43:14Yes.
43:16Actually, those who voted favoring the P35 are the employer and the three government representatives, BOLE and DTI.
43:31Five-two, what happened? Who voted?
43:34Yes.
43:36Attorney, to be honest, is there any hope that the labor vote will eventually win?
43:43Maybe the government agencies are always the swing vote.
43:46The three votes. Of course, they are two, employer and labor.
43:50The three are like a table.
43:54What if the government is always conservative?
43:57It is not that focused on the assertion of the workers' rights?
44:04Maybe. On my part, this is not only a wake-up call but we also need to look into it.
44:18Also, with the policy support, we will look at what the government can do to help labor.
44:29I don't think that it will be conservative. It's always open.
44:33There's always room for improvement as a policy in terms of policy as well as how we decide things and what we will base it on.
44:43And we continuously learn. The NWPC will always have training for us and also to keep abreast with the development,
44:55not only nationally but internationally on how we treat the minimum wage.
45:02Last week, we had a learning session with the ILO so we can look at not only the minimum wage but the wages as a general here in the Philippines.
45:18Okay. To be honest, I'm sure you looked at the latest and correct data.
45:26Social economic indicators, GDP, etc. But those numbers are cold hard data.
45:33It's not a typical picture on the ground.
45:37To be honest, even the food inflation alone, it's like rice has doubled.
45:43It's like 45 to 70 pesos per kilo.
45:47So it means that from the 30 pesos or 35 pesos, it has doubled.
45:53So the 35 pesos increase is just an increase in the price of rice.
45:59Isn't that a sad picture? In real life, even with your data, this is what is being said. This is what is manageable.
46:07Yes, but the data, how the PSB gathers data, we have to rely on our government data.
46:19And that's how the structure of the government and the rules we have now.
46:27Maybe it's not a disrespect to the feelings, convictions, work performance and service record of the people in the government.
46:38But most of the time, they say technocrats, elites, and educated people are the ones who lead the police in the labor sector.
46:49Is there a group of laborers with the DOLE staff now?
46:55I know you are the former clerk of court office in Senator Villar's office, your father and son.
47:03How much could the DOLE empathize or respect or appreciate the situation of Philippine labor?
47:15Yes, sometimes it's frustrating on the part of DOLE if only the DOLE will follow.
47:26This is a tripartite body and at the end of the day, it's a collegial decision.
47:34We can only do so much as provided but in our official capacity.
47:41But again, labor sector are clamoring for the abolition of the RTWPB.
47:53So we also defer to the wisdom of the Congress.
47:57If the wage boards do not support the work of the wage board, if that's what they think, then we defer to the wisdom of the Congress.
48:12We move on from that.
48:15For as long as the wage board is existing, we do our part.
48:20If we do not support our work, then let our leaders decide what happens to us as a body, as a board.
48:31That's the only thing we will follow.
48:34Very well said.
48:35But this is a bit of good news for the President's zone.
48:40We went up 35 pesos per day but we are still waiting for 20 pesos per kilo of rice.
48:48We already saw the effect.
48:53We said either the legislated wage will be deferred or not.
48:58The labor sector is clamoring for 35 pesos but I know that we cannot please everybody.
49:08Okay.
49:09Has Malacanang asked you for your comment on the proposed 100 pesos legislated wage?
49:15Because when it comes to the zone, labor and employers will look at the legislative agenda of the President.
49:29Okay, we have the senior officials who answer.
49:33They are the ones attending the congressional hearings and the NWPC being the program manager and supervising the wage boards.
49:45They are the ones answering to the Congress.
49:48All right.
49:49Do you enjoy your work in Dole, Ma'am, compared to your work in the Senate and the Regional Trial Court?
49:57It has its downtime, good and bad.
50:02But for me personally, it's fulfilling.
50:06These things that we receive, it's a thankless job.
50:12But at the end of the day, we do our part.
50:15What is the good part?
50:16Tell me about the bad.
50:17The good part is what we do to help, to give livelihood, to give advice, to award money that we will give to the workers.
50:31And the NCR has a big role, especially the NCR in these situations.
50:40All right.
50:41And the bad part?
50:42And the bad part, the politics of it.
50:46What is that?
50:47The politics of it.
50:49Of course, the bad part is the politics.
50:59They say that the situation in Dole is not good.
51:03But maybe it's more of our conscience.
51:07We are guided by our conscience that we do.
51:10No one is pushing us.
51:12We are still able to help.
51:15And that is the principle that I use in my work.
51:21You have been in the Dole RTWPB for seven years.
51:26Yes.
51:29I was in the RTWPB-NCR for five years in 2019.
51:36But in Dole, I became the Assistant Regional Director in 2017.
51:40Okay.
51:41So, in your estimation, who is the most generous among the presidents that you have met?
51:49President Duterte or President Bongbong Marcos?
51:51President Bongbong gave me P40. Is it P100?
51:56P40 last year.
51:59Yes, P33 at the end of 2022.
52:08We came from a pandemic.
52:10So, all businesses fell.
52:16So, we are looking at that part now.
52:21But now, we are also looking at growth.
52:25And according to NEDA, the economy is getting better.
52:31Hopefully, in the next year, if we can recover, we will recover.
52:37So, in total, P40 plus P33 plus P35 is P108.
52:42Yes.
52:43President BBM gave it to you since July 2022.
52:47How much did President Duterte give?
52:49He gave it to you in 2019.
52:52In 2019, I was not yet.
52:58So, before the pandemic, it was around P20 plus, P20.
53:03So, that was in 2019.
53:05There was no time increase between the pandemic 2020 up to early of 2022.
53:13So, in the middle of 2022, the increase came out.
53:19P30 plus P33.
53:21We are thankful and we learned a lot.
53:24Let's see if you can get an appeal.
53:27You don't have a case yet.
53:28July 11 is the deadline.
53:31Yes.
53:32And watch out for what will happen in the SONA if it will be pushed and the President will certify the legislated wage proposed by the Senate.
53:47Is that right?
53:48That's right.
53:49All right.
53:50We still have a lot of work to do.
53:52In the meantime, our workers and labor centers are still not satisfied and have a lot of concerns.
54:01Good afternoon, Atty. Sara Buena Mirasol,
54:06Director of the National Capital Region of the Department of Labor and Employment,
54:11and Chairperson of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, NCR.
54:17Good afternoon, Atty. Sara.
54:19Thank you very much.