By CESAR JOLITO III

Labor group General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) expressed disappointment over the decision of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas to dismiss a petition seeking a P250 daily wage increase for private sector workers in the region.

In a press statement, GAWA Secretary General Wennie Sancho criticized the wage board’s move, saying the dismissal of the petition filed by the United Panay Labor Alliance was based merely on technical grounds and failed to address the substance of workers’ demands.

Sancho said the wage hike petition was allegedly dismissed without evaluating its merits, calling the action “premature” amid the worsening economic conditions faced by minimum wage earners.

According to GAWA, workers in the private sector have yet to receive sufficient government assistance or financial aid despite the continuing rise in the prices of food, transportation, electricity, and other basic commodities.

The labor group argued that denying the wage increase petition on procedural grounds only prolongs the hardships being experienced by workers across Western Visayas.

Sancho also stressed that workers remain a vital socioeconomic force as recognized under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, adding that the wage board’s mandate is to ensure fair and just wages reflective of current economic realities.

GAWA further warned that reliance on “technicalities” could undermine public trust in the tripartite wage-setting system and create the perception that workers’ welfare is being treated as secondary.

The group called on the regional wage board to reconsider its decision and instead prioritize substantive discussions and consultations with labor sectors.

“A just wage is not a favor but a constitutional right,” Sancho said, adding that GAWA will continue to organize and push for policies aimed at protecting the dignity and welfare of workers in the region./CJ, WDJ