“IT’S valid.”This was the result of the meeting conducted by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas Monday, March 21, regarding the wage hike petition filed by the Fishta Union of Employees for Reforms Through Solidarity Actions (Fuersa-Super).Department of Labor and Employment (Dole)-Western Visayas Director lawyer Sixto Rodriguez. Jr said this is the first step of the process towards a possible wage hike in the region.During the meeting, Fuersa-Super president Jesel Gayanelo presented the certification that the labor union was registered with the Bureau of Labor Relations thereby making the petition valid in form and substance.Rodriguez, who is also the chair of the RTWPB – Western Visayas, said the Wage Board will determine the merits of the petition through a public consultation.Considering the urgency of the matter, he said a public notice will be issued immediately so that a public consultation will be conducted soon.Wennie Sancho, labor representative to the RTWPB-Western Visayas, said this is a welcome development as he expressed hope that a new Wage Order will be released in time for the Labor Day celebration on May 1.Sancho, also the secretary general of the General Alliance of Workers Associations (Gawa), said public consultation in Negros Occidental including its capital Bacolod City will be on April 8 while that in Iloilo is scheduled on April 11.Similar hearings will also be conducted in other areas in the region, he added.The petition for wage increase is being opposed by the business sector in the region as the country continues to battle with the ongoing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.The move to call for a wage hike is the effect of the rising prices of fuels and its domino effect on basic commodities, the petitioners said.Frank Carbon, vice president for the Visayas of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said instead of wage hikes, both the national and local governments should focus on creating more jobs.Minimum wage workers in Western Visayas are earning from P310 to P395 per day depending on their work classification based on Wage Order 25 issued in 2019.