Last October 2022, the province of Bulacan received the most business-friendly local government unit (LGU) award at the provincial level for the nth time. This is reassuring to know that more companies and businesses are investing here in the province. This means there are more job opportunities for our kababayans. The question we often encounter is how much is the minimum wage or basic daily salary for an employee in Bulacan.
Minimum Wage in Bulacan in the Private Sector
As of January 1, 2023, the daily minimum wage in Bulacan and the rest of Central Luzon is between Php 414 to Php 460, depending on the nature of the business or category and the number of employees.
Minimum earners in Central Luzon in the non-agriculture category and establishments with more than ten workers will receive Php 460 basic pay per day. Employees working in the non-agriculture variety and establishments with less than ten workers will have a Php 453 basic pay per day. Under the agriculture category, the new wage hike for plantation and non-plantation workers will be Php 430 and Php 414, respectively.
For the retail or service category, the daily minimum wage in establishments with ten or more workers will be Php 449 and Php 435 in establishments with less than ten workers. This new wage hike adjustment applies to minimum wage earners in Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan, and Nueva Ecija.
Geraldine Panlilio, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and chairperson of the RTWPB-Central Luzon, said that the wage increase should apply to all minimum wage earners in the private sector in the region, regardless of their position, designation, or status and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid.
The first Minimum Wage Law or Republic Act No. 602 in the Philippines was enacted on April 6, 1951, during the administration of President Elpidio Quirino.
In 1989, Republic Act No. 6727, or the Wage Rationalization Act, was signed by President Cory Aquino, which created the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) and the regional tripartite wages and productivity boards.
The minimum wage in the Philippines is set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) and varies depending on the region and industry. As of January 2023, the minimum wage in the National Capital Region (NCR) is Php 570 per day for non-agricultural workers and Php 533 for agricultural workers.
The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) formulates policies and guidelines that Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards use in determining minimum wages in their respective regions. The primary functions of the NWPC are to act as adviser to the President and Congress on matters relating to wages, incomes, and productivity; formulate policies and guidelines on wages, payments, and productivity; and review regional minimum wage levels set by the RTWPBs based on prescribed rules and procedures.
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards may determine and adjust, from time to time, the minimum wage rates (every three years) to improve them.
Read Big Casinos in Bulacan 2023, Complete List of Shopping Malls in Bulacan 2022, and RSA, nagbukas ng Livelihood Center para sa mga taga-Bulakan
Sources:
- Arcellaz, P. C. (2023, January 3). P10 minimum wage hike in CL Effective January 1. SUNSTAR. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1949830/pampanga/local-news/p10-minimum-wage-hike-in-cl-effective-jan-1
- Billy. (2018, February 11). History of minimum wage in the Philippines. Personal Finance Tips. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.thinkpesos.com/history-of-minimum-wage-in-the-philippines/
- National Capital Region. National Wages Productivity Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://nwpc.dole.gov.ph/regionandwages/national-capital-region/
- Region III (central luzon). National Wages Productivity Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://nwpc.dole.gov.ph/regionandwages/region-iii-central-luzon/
- Tecson, Z. (2023, January 2). 2nd tranche of pay hike for C. Luzon Workers Takes effect January 1. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1191840