THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Eastern Visayas (RTWPB 8) is set to conduct a series of public consultations across the region.
"Public consultations will be conducted regarding the minimum wage determination for private sector workers and domestic workers in Region VIII," said the Eastern Visayas wage board in a social media post.
The first one is set on September 17 at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Building in Naval, Biliran, followed by the one on September 24 at the Provincial Capitol of Northern Samar in Catarman, Northern Samar.
Wage consultations will also be held on October 1 at the DepDev Regional Office in Palo, Leyte, and on October 14 at the Good Governance Building in Ormoc City.
The RTWPB 8 will also hold wage consultations on October 15 at the Maasin City Hall Building in Maasin City, Southern Leyte, and on October 21 at the Liga ng mga Barangay Multi-Purpose Hall in Borongan City, Eastern Samar.
Public consultations of the Eastern Visayas wage board will also be held on October 22 at the Helmut Kutin Social Hall in Calbayog City, and on October 23 before the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council VIII Consultation.
To note, the last wage orders issued by the RTWPB 8 took effect back in December 2025.
Eastern Visayas covers Biliran, Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte.
In a related development, an estimated P66 million in wages are being denied from Metro Manila minimum wage earners per day with the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) injunction against the wage order of the RTWPB-National Capital Region (NCR) still being implemented.
In a statement, the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) said a total of P2.5 billion wages have been lost since July 25 when the Wage Order No. NCR-27 was supposed to take effect.
"Since WO 27 took effect on July 25, workers have already lost an estimated more than P2.5 billion in wages. Every day that its implementation is held back means another P66 million that workers do not receive," said Sentro.
"Every day of delay means another P66 million lost by workers. The P2.5 billion is already too much," it added.
The labor group said the delays are unacceptable, especially with the petitioners, Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc., have yet to post the bond.
It must be noted that the Pasig RTC issued the injunction with a condition of petitioners posting a P10-billion bond.
"They have yet to post the bond and have instead asked the court to reconsider its amount," it said.
"If the condition for the injunction has not been met, there is no reason to keep WO 27 from being implemented," added Sentro.
Under Wage Order NCR-27, the RTWPB-NCR granted an P85 minimum wage increase in Metro Manila that will be given in two tranches, with the first tranche of P60 taking effect last July 25 while the second tranche of P25 increase will take effect on January 20, 2027.
Subsequently, the Pasig City RTC Branch 152 granted the petition for preliminary injunction against the implementation of Wage Order NCR-27. (Anton Banal/VoxPop Philippines)
