Philippines News

Memorandum Circular 26, which was signed Tuesday, adopted the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) 2020 to 2040, which serves as the country’s strategy for infrastructure and medical investments. 

THE civil union that was supposed to take place in Carcar City on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 but was postponed because the marriage officiant was unavailable will now take place on August 1.

On the eve of the planned wedding, the mayor's secretary notified Lee Claire Cabo and her fiancé Paul Patrick Barawigan that the event had to be postponed because the marriage celebrant, Carcar City Mayor Patrick Barcenas, was still in Manila.

Due to this, the couple posted online about their disappointment, which later became viral.

Cabo claimed that they had already spent money for their clothes, food, rented a videoke machine, and invited their family and friends just to be informed that there would be no wedding.

Cabo said that their costs might have been high had they ordered a roasted pig.

“Sa pagkahibawo gyud nako ato nihilak gyud ko sir kay na-andam na baya tanan among besti, mga bisita naingnan na, ang kasal nalang gyud ang kulang,” matod ni Cabo.

(When I found out, sir, I really cried because all our clothes are readied, the guests have already been told, the only thing missing is the wedding).

The couple have been living together for eight years.

When Mayor Barcenas learned about the incident, he immediately called Cabo to apologize on Thursday, July 27.

He also promised to give the couple a roasted pig and attend their wedding reception.(BBT, TPT)

The partnership between the Philippines and Malaysia in the Halal industry has been established to generate more jobs in both countries.

FOR nearly four years, the on-demand delivery platform Lalamove has been a reliable delivery partner for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and non-corporate users on the island of Cebu.

With its fast, simple, and affordable delivery solutions and technologies, Lalamove has provided credible service to thousands of Cebuanos.

Kicking things up a notch in the island’s logistics scene, Lalamove brings its users the most comprehensive delivery coverage in Cebu, encompassing the entire island, for those who need reliable and affordable services for their bulk business delivery needs and shipments.

Keeping the promise of prompt and hassle-free deliveries, the island-wide coverage of truck deliveries is now serviceable to more than 20 areas in Cebu including Argao, Boljoon, Oslob, and Santander.

This is in addition to Balamban, Carcar, Cebu City, Consolacion, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Compostela, Liloan, Mandaue, Minglanilla, Naga, Pinamujangan, San Fernando, Talisay, Toledo, Cordova, Bogo, and Daanbantayan.

As several businesses continue to reach more Cebuanos, Lalamove sustains in offering a wide range of options to entrepreneurs with cost-efficient and extensive delivery services, which include motorcycle, sedan, MPV, and truck deliveries for businesses that need to transport bulk orders and large items.

Here are three reasons why Cebuano businesses should book Lalamove's 4-wheeler to 6-wheeler truck delivery services.

Island-wide delivery services

Since launching its services in Cebu in 2018, Lalamove has continuously expanded its operations across the island. It now operates and fulfills same-day deliveries in all 16 towns and cities in the province.

This includes Balamban, Carcar, Cebu City, Compostela, Consolacion, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Liloan, Mandaue, Minglanilla, Naga, Pinamungajan, San Fernando, Talisay, Toledo, and Cordova. It also accepts inter-island deliveries.

Newly launched vehicle options in Cebu to suit any business

Lalamove has various vehicle options to cater to every business’ needs, whether perishable goods, heavy equipment, or large furniture.

Their fleet of small and big haulers include 600 kilograms (kg) muticab, 800 kg, and 2,000 kg pickup trucks, 1,000 kg, 2,000 kg aluminum trucks, as well as newly-launched 800kg pick-up vehicles, 6-wheel 3,000 closed van trucks and 7,000 kg forward trucks, and a soon-to-be-launched 2,000 kg pick-up truck.

Affordable services to empower MSMEs

Lalamove offers low and unparalleled rates for its delivery services with base fares as low as P200 for pickup trucks, P280 for L300, P1,450 for 2,000kg aluminum trucks, and P1,900 to P4,800 for 6-wheel trucks. This gives businesses an edge by helping them save on costs while still fulfilling orders promptly and carefully.

“Lalamove’s commitment to supporting and elevating business services and operations never stops. Our continuous expansion and vast fleet option provisions show the on-demand delivery service platform’s dedication to progress and bringing MSMEs alongside the journey with us,” said Lalamove Philippines’ Managing Director, Djon Nacario.

Move your business with Lalamove’s affordable truck delivery services.

To learn more and sign up as a business partner, email [email protected] or contact 255-5252. For more information and updates visit www.lalamove.com/en-ph/,download the Lalamove app, or follow its official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. (SPONSORED CONTENT)

THE NEW Nissan Almera has everything you want in a sedan: cutting-edge style combined with innovative technology.

You can now start its engine from afar using your mobile phone and have immediate assistance in case of an emergency by just pressing an SOS button.

With the Almera’s latest technology, you can do a lot of things!

The New Nissan Almera now comes with “NissanConnect” Services—a new way to stay connected to your vehicle through your mobile phone, offering excitement and seamless connectivity that enables you to access some of its integrated features—a first in the market for subcompact sedans.

A three-year subscription to NissanConnect Services worth P30,000 is included with every purchase of the Almera VL variant.

NissanConnect Services allow you to start your car and even get the air-conditioning running with the Remote Engine Start/Stop feature, so it’s cool when you enter the cabin. Not sure if you locked your car? The Remote Lock/Unlock feature lets you conveniently double-check through your phone. But if your car gets broken into, Theft Alert will notify you whenever it detects any forced entry. In case of a collision or when the airbags deploy, the Almera's integrated emergency services can get you immediate assistance through features such as Automatic Collision Notification or the SOS Emergency Call Button.

The NissanConnect Services app also allows you to monitor your vehicle's health and reminds you of maintenance appointments.

On top of those, the New Nissan Almera also comes with the best of Nissan Intelligent Mobility like the Intelligent Around View Monitor with

Moving Object Detection, while adding new class-leading features such as Lane Departure Warning* and High Beam Assist* for a safer and more confident drive. Never run out of juice for your gadgets as it comes with a wireless charging pad** for added convenience.

With great technology comes great style. The New Nissan Almera updates its look with newly designed front and rear fascias, a new 16” alloy wheel design, and black leather interiors with dark blue contrast stitching. And to top it all off, it even comes with a Nissan 5-year warranty to give you peace of mind and convenience.

Elevate your drive with the latest in cutting-edge tech, wrapped in a stylish exterior. Experience a sedan that’s truly engineered for excitement: the New Nissan Almera.

Know more about the Almera here: www.nissan.ph/almera (SPONSORED CONTENT)

A PRIMARY health care facility with a 150-bed capacity is set to be constructed on a 6,000 square meter lot in Barangay Poblacion, City of Naga, southern Cebu by the end of 2024.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the facility was held on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at the Naga City Reclamation Area.

Mayor Valdemar Chiong told SunStar Cebu on July 27 that the facility’s projected cost would be P350 million.

Chiong said that the total budget for the new health center has been approved through a loan by the Development Bank of the Philippines.

He explained that this new facility is expected to provide improved healthcare services to the city’s constituents.

Chiong said that the office of Senator Francis Tolentino had also transferred P50 million through theC Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to begin the first phase of the construction.

The mayor did not give any comments when asked about the medical care that the new institution will offer to the residents.

He emphasized that the city is currently focusing on the construction of the facility.

Although the clinic would accept patients from nearby municipalities, Chiong said locals will be given preference. (AML, TPT)

MOBILE China reported early June 2023, the leaked configuration information of a domestic Android flagship phone.

According to the report, the Vivo X100 Series could be the brand’s next-generation flagship model with high configuration.

Based on the rumors, Vivo X100 would be powered by the third-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Generation 3, offering up to 16GB of operating memory and 1TB of onboard storage.

The phone is also expected to have a high-quality flex-curved screen with 2K resolution. At the same time, the rear imaging system will feature a powerful ultra-high-pixel, large-bottomed periscope telephoto lens.

Vivo X100 was also tipped to be equipped with an ultrasonic under-screen fingerprint unlock module and a one-inch newly coated glass-plastic hybrid primary camera.

What’s more is that it is expected to have a built-in high-capacity battery, which is supported by up to 120W wired and 50W wireless charging.

Since Vivo released the Vivo X90S in June 2023, many are expecting that the arrival of the next X Series model may take a little longer.

With the leaked news, it is clear that the highest-positioned Vivo X100 Pro+ in the brand’s X100 Series is estimated to debut in early 2024.

Meanwhile, the lower-positioned Vivo X100 Pro and Vivo X100 Standard Edition are confirmed to launch by the end of the year.

Be updated by following Vivo’s official channels on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. (SPONSORED CONTENT)

Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri) left the Philippine area of responsibility Thursday morning after battering northern Luzon with strong winds and heavy rain.

Egay reportedly left four people from the Cordillera Administrative Region and one person from Calabarzon dead. Meanwhile, two people from Western Visayas were reportedly injured. 

MANILA, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in heavy rains, floods, and landslides triggered by typhoon Doksuri climbed to five, the Philippines' national disaster agency said on Thursday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said four were buried in a landslide in Benguet province in the northern Philippines and one in Rizal province, east of Metro Manila.

In an interview,

Airport authorities announced the cancellation of select flights scheduled for Thursday in response to the prevailing inclement weather conditions.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised on June 8 the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 3 after it showed an “increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”

Several areas have been flooded on Thursday, July 27 due to the rainfall brought by Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri).

FOR nearly four years, the on-demand delivery platform Lalamove has been a reliable delivery partner for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and non-corporate users on the island of Cebu.With its fast, simple, and affordable delivery solutions and technologies, Lalamove has provided credible service to thousands of Cebuanos.

Kicking things up a notch in the island’s logistics scene, Lalamove brings its users the most comprehensive delivery coverage in Cebu, encompassing the entire island, for those who need reliable and affordable services for their bulk business delivery needs and shipments.

IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL. With its fleet of trucks, Lalamove can deliver all kinds of items at a low cost, making them a reliable partner for businesses and users across the island of Cebu.

Keeping the promise of prompt and hassle-free deliveries, the island-wide coverage of truck deliveries is now serviceable to more than 20 areas in Cebu including Argao, Boljoon, Oslob, and Santander.This is in addition to Balamban, Carcar, Cebu City, Consolacion, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Compostela, Liloan, Mandaue, Minglanilla, Naga, Pinamujangan, San Fernando, Talisay, Toledo, Cordova, Bogo, and Daanbantayan.

As several businesses continue to reach more Cebuanos, Lalamove sustains in offering a wide range of options to entrepreneurs with cost-efficient and extensive delivery services, which include motorcycle, sedan, MPV, and truck deliveries for businesses that need to transport bulk orders and large items.

Here are three reasons why Cebuano businesses should book Lalamove's 4-wheeler to 6-wheeler truck delivery services.

Island-wide delivery services

Since launching its services in Cebu in 2018, Lalamove has continuously expanded its operations across the island. It now operates and fulfills same-day deliveries in all 16 towns and cities in the province.This includes Balamban, Carcar, Cebu City, Compostela, Consolacion, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Liloan, Mandaue, Minglanilla, Naga, Pinamungajan, San Fernando, Talisay, Toledo, and Cordova. It also accepts inter-island deliveries.

Newly launched vehicle options in Cebu to suit any business

Lalamove has various vehicle options to cater to every business’ needs, whether perishable goods, heavy equipment, or large furniture.

Their fleet of small and big haulers include 600 kilograms (kg) muticab, 800 kg, and 2,000 kg pickup trucks, 1,000 kg, 2,000 kg aluminum trucks, as well as newly-launched 800kg pick-up vehicles, 6-wheel 3,000 closed van trucks and 7,000 kg forward trucks, and a soon-to-be-launched 2,000 kg pick-up truck.

Affordable services to empower MSMEs

Lalamove offers low and unparalleled rates for its delivery services with base fares as low as P200 for pickup trucks, P280 for L300, P1,450 for 2,000kg aluminum trucks, and P1,900 to P4,800 for 6-wheel trucks. This gives businesses an edge by helping them save on costs while still fulfilling orders promptly and carefully.

“Lalamove’s commitment to supporting and elevating business services and operations never stops. Our continuous expansion and vast fleet option provisions show the on-demand delivery service platform’s dedication to progress and bringing MSMEs alongside the journey with us,” said Lalamove Philippines’ Managing Director, Djon Nacario.Move your business with Lalamove’s affordable truck delivery services.To learn more and sign up as a business partner, email [email protected] or contact 255-5252. For more information and updates visit www.lalamove.com/en-ph/, download the Lalamove app, or follow its official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. (SPONSORED CONTENT)

Several classes and government work remain suspended on Thursday, July 27 as Typhoon Egay continues to bring occasional to monsoon rains over several parts of the country. 

Egay will continue to dampen Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and the western portions of Abra and Benguet, according to PAGASA. 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's visit to Papua New Guinea will focus, in part, on detailed discussion establishing a U.S. military presence in the country, according to experts.

Underpinning the establishment of a U.S. military presence in PNG is the De

MORE than 50 million subscribers stand to permanently lose access to their subscriber identity modules (SIMs) after the five-day grace period from the SIM registration deadline in relation to Republic Act (RA) 11934 or SIM Registration Law, which was on July 25, 2023.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) reported that as of Monday, July 24, 105,917,844 SIMs had been registered. This accounted for 63 percent of the 168,016,400 subscribers from Globe Telecom, Smart Communications and Dito Telecommunity that the NTC recorded by the end of December 2022.

The National Government had set July 25 as the final deadline for SIM registration, with a five-day grace period until July 30 for users to register their unregistered SIMs.

After July 30, unregistered SIMs will be permanently deactivated, also called “SIM dead,” and subscribers can no longer avail themselves of mobile services such as voice calls, text messaging and data surfing.

Only 50-75 percent

Smart reported that as of July 24, 49.9 million or 75 percent of its 66.3 million subscribers have already registered their SIMs.

As for Globe, 48.9 million or 56 percent of its 86.7 million subscribers have also registered theirs, as of July 25.

Out of its 14.9 million subscribers, Dito reported that 50 percent of the subscribers or 7.5 million had registered their SIMs, as of July 24.

NTC Central Visayas legal officer Alan Felix Macaraya Jr. said on Monday that the authorities were targeting to register at least 75-80 percent of the total number of subscribers, as the remaining percentage will be considered excess/inactive subscribers or mobile numbers possibly used by people involved in criminal activities.

Last extension

He said there can be no other extension, as the law specifically provided that there be only one extension granted for SIM registration.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the “first and last” extension of SIM registration on April 26, which was supposed to be the deadline. Under the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 11934, users of deactivated SIMs will have a grace period of five days to register their SIMs.

“Failure to register the existing SIM within the period prescribed shall result in the automatic deactivation of the SIM. The deactivated SIM may only be reactivated after registration; provided, however, that reactivation shall be made not later than five days after such automatic deactivation,” the IRR stated.

To register their SIMs, users must visit the official link provided by their telecommunication provider, and input and submit the necessary information and identification cards.

Grace period

Marylou Gocotano, Visayas relations head of PLDT and Smart Communications, and Rofil Magto, corporate communications manager of Globe for the Visayas and Mindanao, told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, July 26, that the current number of registered SIMs might increase following the five-day grace period.

A day after July 25, telco firms disabled some mobile services, such as outgoing calls and text messaging, from unregistered SIM cards.

This means that users of unregistered SIM cards can still receive incoming calls and text messages, but they can no longer initiate outgoing voice calls or send text messages within the grace period, unless they are registered on or before July 30.

Both Gocotano and Magto said that after July 30, all unregistered SIMs will be automatically and permanently deactivated, and neither the subscribers nor the telco providers can revive or reactivate the deactivated SIMs.

All unregistered SIMs will be considered “SIM dead” or invalid.

E-wallet, prepaid load

Gocotano and Magto assured the public that even though their SIMs will be deactivated after the grace period, the funds inside their e-wallets such as GCash and Maya accounts linked to the deactivated mobile number will be left untouched.

“If their number is connected with their GCash account or e-wallet, the amount will still be there; the amount will still be intact,” Magto said.

To access these funds again, Gocotano and Magto said that it will not be inconvenient for the users of the deactivated SIM cards.

These users must purchase a new SIM card and register it under their names, after which they have to contact the e-wallet hotline to link their funds to their new SIMs.

They will be asked to submit proof of identification to validate their ownership of the e-wallet account, which Gocotano and Magto said may take time and cause inconvenience to the user.

In the case of postpaid SIM card users, both telco officials said they had already been registered since the necessary information and identification were collected prior to the application of a postpaid account.

As for prepaid load, users of deactivated SIMs can no longer enjoy their unused promos.

Reservations

Some subscribers still have reservations about the security aspect of the registration and the convenience of the registration process.

According to Faith Cabusas, a Smart SIM user, the unstable connection was a major hindrance when she tried to register her SIM.

Globe SIM user Harvie Barcelona chose not to register his SIM cards because the process was tedious. Sun SIM card user Meryle Abella said she cannot register her SIM card for unknown reasons. However, after the deadline, she could still access her mobile data.

As for Joseph Christian Lapidez, a Globe SIM user, he could still use his SIM, but he said the signal was weak.

RA 11934 was signed into law by Marcos on October 10, 2022. The law aims to curb cybercriminal activities such as “smishing” or text scams.

Smishing is the act of sending deceptive text messages to lure victims into revealing their sensitive data like their bank account information.

Franchesa Nojo, a Smart SIM user, found that the law is good for added security for her sensitive information.

“My phone number is linked to all of my social media and bank accounts. Knowing that I already registered my SIM, I am less worried about the scams that are happening since my security has gotten stronger,” she said.

After registering her SIM card, she has not received phishing phone calls and text messages as she did before.

“I used to receive suspicious texts, but it got less nowadays,” she said. (EHP, CNU INTERNS ERICA ABELLA AND HAZEL FAITH SAYMO)

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama has vetoed an ordinance designating the downtown area as a heritage district and creating the Heritage District Council (HDC), stating that he wants to lead the HDC or have his authorized representative do so.

In a letter to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) dated June 15, 2023, the local chief executive returned the unsigned measure as he wants an amendment to Section 7 of City Ordinance 2690, or “An Ordinance Designating the Downtown Area of the City of Cebu as a Heritage District and Creating Heritage District Council,” which was authored by Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

Section 7 states that the HDC “shall be headed by City Mayor/City Vice Mayor. There shall be two vice-chairs: the Chair of the Committee on Tourism, Culture, and Arts of the Sanggunian, and a private-sector representative to be appointed by the City Mayor.”

Rama suggested that Section 7 “be amended and read as follows: ‘The Council shall be headed by the City Mayor or his authorized representative,’ in order to respect the prerogatives of the Chief Executive.”

Garcia said in an interview with SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, July 26, that the SP agreed with Rama’s suggestion, and they have no issue with the mayor’s veto.

“Everything is okay,” he said.

The ordinance, passed on May 24, 2023, aims to conserve and protect the cultural heritage of Cebu City’s downtown area where old buildings dating as far back as the Spanish colonial period are still standing.

Rama’s letter to the SP states that the mayor should be granted “wide latitude of choice and discretion” in appointing an authorized representative who is fit and qualified for the position.

The proposed heritage district covers the intersection of V. Rama Avenue and N. Bacalso Avenue, proceeding to P. Del Rosario Street, then to Imus Street, and to the intersection of General Maxilom Avenue and Tejero Creek until the Cebu Port Authority in Pier 6.

From Pier 6, it will continue toward the shorelines of Barangay Sto. Niño and Quezon Boulevard.

It will also cover Abellana Street and the intersections of Gen. Gines Street, R. Magsaysay Street, and JM Basa Street, before returning to the starting point of V. Rama-N. Bacalso intersection. (RJM)

A WAGE increase will be implemented in Central Visayas come September, the wage and productivity board chairperson has announced, but a labor group leader insists that it must be pushed sooner since it is already long overdue.

Lilia Estillore, chairperson of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas (RTWPB 7), made the promise in an interview after the second wage public hearing happened Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at the Department of Education EcoTech Center in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

“There is no doubt that there will be an increase because even the representatives from the business sector acknowledged that there should be a wage hike implemented in the region,” she said.

Estillore, also the director of the Department of Labor and Employment in the region (Dole 7), however, said the board still has to deliberate on the amount.

More hearings

The board is still on its second of five consultations set in different areas of the region to hear the grievances, opinions and suggestions of the employer and employee sectors on the amount of the wage hike.

The wage public hearing started last July 10 in Bogo City in northern Cebu, followed by the hearing in Cebu City Wednesday. Three more hearings will be conducted: City of Naga in southern Cebu, August 1; Bohol, August 10; and Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, August 11.

The RTWPB 7 is composed of Estillore, the chairperson; regional directors Maria Elena Arbon of the Department of Trade and Industry and Jennifer Bretaña of the National Economic and Development Authority; members from the labor sector represented by Antonio Cuizon and Nora Analyn Diego; and Joseph Tanco and Dr. Philip Tan as the management representatives.

The last daily wage increase implemented in the region was the P31 for all private sector workers and P500 monthly increase for domestic workers, which took effect on June 14, 2022.

Current wage

In Central Visayas, the current daily minimum wage for non-agricultural workers in Class A towns and cities is P435, while non-agricultural employers with less than 10 workers and the employers in the agricultural industry pay employees P425.

Class A cities include Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay; and Class A municipalities are Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando or the Expanded Metro Cebu.

For Class B, the minimum wage is P397 for non-agricultural and P392 for the other classification. In Class C areas, wage is at P387 for non-agricultural workers and P382 for agricultural and non-agricultural companies with less than 10 workers.

Class B are the other cities not covered under Class A, while Class C are municipalities not under Class A and Class B.

Two petitions

The wage public hearing will also tackle the two joint petitions for wage hike in the region filed by 20 Cebu-based labor groups and unions with the RTWPB 7 in the past months.

There is a petition for a P100 increase in the daily minimum wage led by Partido Manggagawa-Cebu (PM Cebu), and a petition filed by Cebu Labor Coalition that demands a P292.50 hike in the daily minimum wage among private workers and P1,000 hike for the monthly pay of domestic helpers or “katabang” in Cebuano.

In filing the petitions, PM Cebu was joined by 12 other labor groups: Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (AMA Sugbo-KMU), Alyansa sa Mamumuong Kontraktwal sa Sugbo, Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, Globalwear Employees Union-Piglas, Association of Globalwear Supervisory Employees Union–Piglas, Mepz Workers Alliance, Workers Organization of Lami Food, Prince Warehouse Club Mandaue Employees Union–Law, Ilaw–Buklod ng Manggagawa-United Miners of Carmen Copper, Kepco Cebu Employees Union-Workers Solidarity Network, Ilaw at Buklod ng Manggagawa sa General Milling Corp. and Bohol Alliance of Labor Organizations.

Seven other groups signed the petition filed by Metudio Belarmino of the Cebu Labor Coalition: Alvin Pino, president of Lonbisco Employees Organization; Melchor Atupan, president of Metaphil Workers Union; Nicholou Malazarte, president of Union Bank Employees Association; Paul Alvin Fajardo, representative of CELAC; Clarisa Torino, president of United Domestic Workers of the Philippines; Bonifacio Tiongzon, president of Transasia Union; and Alan Gascon, director of the board of the Cebu City Tripartite Industrial Peace Council.

Struggles

During the public hearing, some employers said some companies are struggling to survive post-pandemic amid the looming global recession.

Catherine Son-Lauzon, a representative of a furniture manufacturer, said “we cannot afford” a P100 wage hike. She suggested a P40 or P50 wage hike instead.

She said although they can apply for an exemption from the wage hike, she is afraid that their employees will seek better-paying jobs, which she said is the tendency of Gen Z employees in the workforce.

Gen Z is the generation born between 1997 and 2012.

According to the National Wages and Productivity Commission, companies allowed to seek exemption are those engaged in retail and service businesses that employ not more than 10 workers, as well as establishments adversely affected by natural calamities or human-induced disasters.

Patrick Tolentino, a representative of a construction company, said though there are times that the operating costs in their industry are quite high, he believed that it was about time a wage hike was given to the workers in the region.

Long overdue

Jaime Paglinawan of AMA Sugbo-KMU said the wage hike must be implemented very soon or earlier than September.

Paglinawan pointed to a news article published by SunStar Cebu last April 28, which reported figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority in Central Visayas showing the steady growth of the economy in the region, as proof that businesses have the capacity to give a wage hike.

The Gross Regional Domestic Product was P1.135 trillion in 2020, growing to P1.196 trillion in 2021, then to P1.287 trillion in 2022.

The labor leader explained that in a family of five, with the minimum wage stuck at P435, each member would have only P87 per day or P29 per meal to survive on, leaving nothing for other expenses such as electricity, water, rent, transportation and deductions for social benefits.

Citing data from Ibon Foundation, Paglinawan told SunStar Cebu last June 15 that the living wage required for a family of five to live comfortably is P1,160 or a monthly wage of P25,226.

The living wage is the minimum income required for a family of five to sustain their daily needs.

Paglinawan also slammed the wage board in the region for the delay in conducting the wage public hearing, saying that recently, workers in Metro Manila had a P40 increase in their daily wage “from their already higher daily wage at P570.”

Estillore said the reason for the delay is that unlike Metro Manila, Central Visayas is an archipelagic region, meaning the four provinces are far from each other.

Other concerns

Ariel Sarsaba, chairperson of the National Union of Food Delivery Riders in Cebu, raised his concerns on his sector.

He demanded that the board implement standardized benefits and insurance for all food delivery riders, saying his job had been among the economic drivers since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

He said while some companies offer these to their employed food delivery riders, others do not.

Estillore said they still need to study the framework of the job of food delivery riders since it is still a new concept to them.