As part of its 34th Founding Anniversary on July 1, 2023, the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) signed a Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) with the NWPC Employees Association during the anniversary celebration on July 3, 2023 at the NWPC Conference Room.    

In his speech during the activity, DOLE Undersecretary Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio, Jr., NWPC Chairperson Designate, congratulated the NWPC management and employees’ association for the successful CNA signing.    

“It is important, not only because of the CNA’s incentive provision, but because it is a manifestation of the commitment of both management and the employees’ association to work together in order to fulfill our mandate and create the best reward which is a better life for Filipino workers,” he said.    

Undersecretary Bitonio enjoined NWPC and RTWPB officials and employees to continue providing public service by paying close attention to trends in matters concerning both wages and productivity.   

“I want to thank the NWPC and RTWPBs for the role that they have played in delivering the mandate of the Department of Labor and Employment especially in the sensitive and important issue of wage determination. However, while we highlight our wage function, we should give as much priority to our productivity function,” he said.  

Meanwhile, NWPC Executive Director Maria Criselda R. Sy expressed gratitude to the CNA panel composed of the management representatives and employees’ association officers for ensuring that deliberation and ratification went “smoothly” due to active coordination between both sides.  

In the limelight  

Undersecretary Bitonio recognized that the NWPC and RTWPBs are now in the limelight as petitions for minimum wage increases are currently in different stages of consultations.   

“NWPC and RTWPBs are in the limelight once again. I hope that NWPC and RTWPBs continue to cooperate to have consistent decision in the release of wage orders,” he said.    

Following the release of Wage Order No. NCR-24 that raises the minimum wage rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) by Php40, Executive Director Sy also acknowledged mixed reactions coming from employees and employers.  

“There are some who are happy about the wage increase, but there are some who are unsatisfied. These mixed reactions are expected because we cannot satisfy everybody. It shows that RTWPB-NCR took a balanced approach in terms of wage determination,” she said.  

The increase resulted from petitions filed by various labor groups seeking an increase in the daily minimum wage due to escalating prices of basic goods and commodities. 

Tribute to NWPC and RTWPB retirees  

During the event, a mass celebration by Paco Church parish priest Reverend Father Sanny C. De Claro was held at the NWPC Conference Room.   An audio-visual presentation showing the NWPC’s accomplishments in previous years was also presented. 

Former NWPC and RTWPB officials and employees were honored for their contributions to the organization while select personnel received special awards.  Assistant Secretary Lennard Constantine C. Serrano of the Labor Relations, Policy and International Affairs Cluster also attended the activity.