03/09/2026
๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฆ | ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฅ๐ง๐ช๐ฃ๐-๐ซ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐บ๐๐บ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
General Santos City โ The RTWPB-XII trained its focus on the business community today, September 3, 2026, as it conducted a Sectoral Consultation on Minimum Wage Determination for Private Establishments and Domestic Workers with the Chamber of Commerce in Region XII. Attended by 43 participants, the activity opened a direct line between the Board and the region's employers, providing a dedicated venue for business owners to voice their opinions, concerns, and on-the-ground realities as the wage-setting process moves forward.
More than a listening exercise, the consultation embodied RTWPB-XII's tripartite spirit, led by Regional Director Imelda F. Gatinao of the DOLE-XII and Board's Chairperson. With labor representatives also present, the discussion remained balanced and inclusive. Having both business and labor voices in the same room allowed for a fuller, more grounded exchange, employers raising perspectives on business sustainability and operating costs, while labor representatives echoed the concerns and aspirations of the workforce. This kind of dialogue is central to the Board's mandate: no single sector's view stands alone, but is weighed alongside the others to arrive at a wage determination that is fair to both labor and industry.
The session drew candid and constructive input from Chamber of Commerce members, who shared insights on the current business climate, workforce challenges, and the potential impact of wage adjustments on micro, small, and medium enterprises across the region. These sentiments, together with the points raised by labor sector, add another critical layer to the growing body of data being gathered through RTWPB-XII's series of consultations spanning the different sectors and areas of Region XII, reinforcing the Board's commitment to consult widely before arriving at any wage decision.
With the Chamber of Commerce sectoral consultation now part of the record, RTWPB-XII moves one step closer to a well-rounded, evidence-based deliberation. The Board extends its sincere appreciation to the Chamber of Commerce and the labor representatives who took part, affirming that every voice plays a role in shaping a minimum wage that works for Region XII.
