Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office No. 9 (DOLE RO9) Regional Director Sisinio B. Cano, who is also the Chair of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board Region IX (RTWPB IX), in a recent Press Conference disclosed that minimum wage earners in the private sector, including Kasambahays or domestic workers, in the Zamboanga Peninsula Region stand to benefit from an adjustment in their wages starting October 1, 2016. This is the result of the issuance by RTWPB-IX of Wage Order No. RIX-19 and Wage Order No. RIX-DW-01, both of which have been published on September 16, 2016, after its review and affirmation by NWPC. As such, the RTWPB IX is the first Board which issued simultaneously wage increase for workers in the Private Sector and for the Kasambahays, respectively.

Upon effectivity of the new Wage Order No. RIX-19, the existing daily rate of P280.00 for workers in non-agricultural enterprises shall be increased to P296.00.

The matrix of wage adjustments for all categories are as follows

Wage Categories Minimum Wage under W.O.# RIX-18 1st Tranche: Upon Effectivity New Minimum Wage 2nd Tranche: Effective Jan. 1, 2017 New Minimum Wage 3rd Tranche: Effective Oct. 1, 2017 New Minimum Wage NON-AGRICULTURAL (includes private hospitals, educational institutions, security agencies, janitorial, and retail/service establishments employing more than 30 workers) P 280.00 P 16.00 P 296.00 - P 296.00 - P 296.00 AGRICULTURAL (includes rubber-based plantation)> >Plantation

> Non-Plantation 255.00

235.00 16.00

16.00 271.00

251.00 6.00

16.00 277.00

267.00 6.00

16.00 283.00

283.00 RETAIL/SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT (employing not more than 30 workers) 260.00 16.00 276.00 7.00 283.00 - 283.00 COTTAGE/HANDICRAFT ENTERPRISES 235.00 16.00 251.00 16.00 267.00 16.00 283.00

For the Kasambahays or domestic workers, the existing monthly wages of P 2,000.00 and P 1,500.00 for cities and first class municipalities, and other municipalities, shall be increased to P 2,500.00 and 2,000.00, respectively, as prescribed by the new Wage Order No. RIX-DW-01, which also takes effect on October 1.

Among the economic indicators given weight by the Board in the wage adjustment is the current poverty threshold level of P283.00 for a family with five (5) members in the region.

It can be recalled that it took the Board sometime to review the current Wage order No. RIX-18, as it took cognizance of the economic effect brought about by the "Zamboaga Siege".