COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (BTWPB) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has approved a PHP20 daily wage increase for private sector workers across the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, who chairs the BTWPB-BARMM, the wage order was signed on Wednesday at the BARMM government center, marking a significant step towards improving the economic well-being of workers in the region.
The new wage structure sets the daily wage for non-agriculture workers in Cotabato City at PHP361, up from PHP341, while agriculture workers in the city will now earn PHP336 daily, up from PHP316. In the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Marawi, Basilan, and Lamitan, the new daily wage for non-agriculture workers has been set at PHP336, an increase from PHP316. Agriculture workers in these areas will see their minimum wage rise to PHP326.
Additionally, in the BARMM's Special Geographic Area (SGA), encompassing 63 villages in North Cotabato now part of BARMM, the minimum wage for non-agriculture and agriculture sectors is set at PHP341 and PHP316, respectively. This wage hike is the third of its kind since the creation of BARMM in January 2019, demonstrating the region's ongoing commitment to addressing the needs of its workforce.
Sema emphasized the wage board's consideration of the balance between workers' needs and the sustainability of businesses during the wage increase deliberations. He stated that the new wage increase would apply to all minimum wage earners in the private sector within BARMM, regardless of their job designation, position, status, or the method of wage payment. However, he noted that the latest wage order does not extend to household or domestic helpers covered under RA 1061 or the Batas Kasambahay, nor does it apply to workers registered as barangay microbusiness enterprises.
The wage increase is set to take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation within the BARMM, offering a financial boost to many workers across the region.