CEBU — A labor group on Monday filed a petition before the Central Visayas Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board for a P430-increase in the daily minimum wage in the region.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza said workers must receive a wage that can sustain their daily needs.

“With the current high prices of food and other essential items, the measly income of workers can only accord them and their families with nutritionally deficient survival meals," he said in a press briefing.

The current minimum wage in Central Visayas is P404. Should the proposal be granted, this will put the new minimum wage in the region at P834.

It was in January 2020 when the last increase in the daily minimum wage of P18 was implemented.

"We are deeply concerned that with the looming price hikes in the basic commodities, including electricity and transport fares, our workers and their families could really go hungry this time and that is unacceptable to us."

In their petition, TUCP explained that the present monthly take home pay of P9,663.94, is far below the P16,295.00 per month poverty threshold for a family of 5 in Central Visayas.

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— Report from Annie Perez