The Bangsamoro Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BTWPB-BARMM) approved on Wednesday a new wage order granting a PHP20 daily wage hike for private workers in the region.

The board, chaired by BARMM Labor Minister Muslimin Sema, signed the order in the presence of wage board members at the BARMM government center here.

For this city, non-agriculture workers got a PHP20 wage hike from PHP341 to PHP361 daily.

For the agriculture sector in the city, the new daily take-home pay is PHP336 from the previous PHP316.

For workers 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 is PHP336 for the non-agriculture sector from PHP316.

“For the agriculture sector in these areas, the new minimum wage is PHP326,” Sema said.

In the BARMM’s Special Geographic Area (SGA), or the 63 villages in North Cotabato that are now part of BARMM, the minimum wage is PHP341 for the non-agriculture sector and PHP316 for the agriculture sector.

Wednesday’s wage hike is the third for the BARMM since its creation in January 2019.

Sema said the regional wage board recognizes the delicate balance between the needs of the workers and the sustainability of businesses during the deliberation of the proposed wage increase.

He said the new pay hike would apply to all minimum wage earners in the private sector within BARMM “regardless of their designation, position or status and irrespective of methods by which their wages are paid.”

Sema, however, clarified that the latest wage order does not cover households or domestic helpers under RA 1061 or the Batas Kasambahay and workers registered as barangay microbusiness enterprises.

The new wage order will take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the BARMM. (PNA)