BPO union to seek P1,200 minimum wage for entry-level workers in Central Visayas

THE Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Industry Employees’ Network (BIEN) will seek a P1,200 minimum daily wage for entry-level workers in the Central Visayas and other key BPO hubs, citing the rising cost of living.

Mylene Cabalona, president of BIEN Philippines, said the group is preparing a petition for the Central Visayas. It had filed a wage petition for the National Capital Region (NCR) on April 29.

BIEN-Cebu did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

The BPO workers are waging a national campaign to standardize the monthly minimum wage at P36,000 for entry-level workers in the industry, according to Ms. Cabalona. 

Beyond the NCR, she said BIEN filed a petition in Tacloban, Eastern Visayas on May 29 and is targeting a June filing for Iloilo.

Ms. Cabalona said that BPO wages have stagnated for over a decade.

“When I started in the BPO back in 2010, my starting (pay) was P16,000,” she noted, adding that many entry-level employees today are still offered between P15,000 and P16,000 despite drastically different economic conditions and inflationary pressures.

She added that the proposed P1,200 daily rate — which significantly exceeds current regional rates such as the P500-P540 for the Central Visayas and P658-P695 in the NCR — is supported by research into the cost of living.

The indicative start for the next minimum wage review cycle varies by region, with the NCR beginning as early as May. For Central Visayas, the review cycle is scheduled to commence in August.

Ms. Cabalona also said that the organization intends to participate in upcoming public hearings regarding wage petitions in the NCR. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking