Marching Toward Fair Pay: Bohol’s Crucial Minimum Wage Hearing

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A Pivotal Moment for Central Visayas

In the steamy halls of the MetroCentre Hotel & Convention Center in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, July-like August air pulses with anticipation. The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board—known colloquially as the RTWPB-7—is conducting a critical public hearing on the next minimum wage. This is the last major stop in the regional consultation, with the regional wage board’s decision expected this October. 

Just days after the board’s mandated review period began on August 3, 2025, following the 60-day rule tied to Wage Order ROVII-25, voices from all corners of society gather to be heard. 

On the Ground: Rey’s Urgent Message

Civil Engr. Amon Rey Clavano Loquere, Real Estate Broker and the Bohol convenor of the Green Party of the Philippines, stands not for labor, not for only employers—but for balance, deeply rooted in human stories and economic reality.

“I’m representing the management side, via the Cebu Real Estate Board under the Philippine Association of Real Estate Boards,” Loquere explains.

His organization urges the board to adopt a Php 850 daily minimum wage—calculated as the average between the current (approx.) Php 501 and the Php 1,200 sought by labor groups in Cebu unions.

Why such a middle ground? Rey remains clear and passionate:

“Inflation in Bohol is steep—especially food, fish, and education costs.”

He paints scenes most of us know too well: struggling parents at wet markets watching prices rise; students preparing for a new school year under budgets stretched thin. The fishing industry, a lifeline for coastal communities, offers diminishing returns.

His position is not merely pragmatic—it’s a plea. A plea for workers to afford essentials while giving employers, particularly small businesses, breathing room to stay afloat.

Context: What’s At Stake in Region VII

RTWPB-7 is tasked with reviewing minimum wages across the region—including Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental—based on public hearings held throughout August 2025, culminating in this Tagbilaran session. 

The previous Wage Order (ROVII-25), effective since October 2024, set minimums but now must be revisited. 

The new wage order anticipated by October will take effect 15 days after its publication in a general circulation newspapers

Economic Reality vs. Human Need

At its core, the debate is about dignity and survival. Loquere’s proposal—Php 850—seeks to illuminate the path between two extremes. It acknowledges the unions' push for 1,200 and recognizes the unsustainability of keeping wages under 600 in a rapidly rising-cost environment.

Education and fish, staples of Bohol’s economy and daily life, are predictive indicators of poverty pressure. Prices for fish and schooling are among the priorities—because when people can’t eat or send kids to class, social instability follows.

How the Decision Will Shape Lives

Workers: A higher minimum wage means not just increased income, but possibly expanded access to health, nutrition, and education.

Employers: Especially SMEs and family-run operations, they face tighter margins—but Rey’s middleway offers a lifeline.

Bohol’s Future: If this hearing sets a path toward fairer wages, it could boost consumer spending, fueling local markets—but if too steep, it risks job losses or layoffs.

A Region United by Stakes

From labor activists in Cebu demanding Php 1,200, to the Green Party’s mediation proposal at Php 850, every voice in these hearings is vital. The RTWPB-7 must weigh data, empathy, and economic viability before issuing the October wage order.

Why this Moment Matters

Historical Significance: This hearing is part of a long tradition—RTWPB-7 must hold hearings 60 days before the wage order's anniversary 

It’s how democracy in labor rights works.

Economic Pulse: With inflation biting deep, prices across the archipelago, especially staples, are climbing. Rey’s plea is not an outlier—it mirrors a national struggle.

Human Story: Loquere reminds us this isn’t just numbers—it’s families stretching for a meal, students with dwindling school funds, small markets and fisherfolk whose profit margins evaporate.

Looking Ahead

October: Expect the wage board’s decision—likely to land between the extremes.

Implementation: Wage increase becomes effective 15 days post-publication. Employers must prepare; workers brace for relief.

Repercussions: Potential ripple effects on local prices, employment numbers, and social welfare must be monitored.

Final Reflection

Loquere’s voice in Bohol offers a rare bridge—rooted in empathy, pragmatic compromise, and regional realities. As the region awaits the wage board’s ruling, this moment stands as more than policy—it’s a testament to how communities fight for fairness, sustenance, and hope.

Will the wage board heed the cry for equilibrium? Will Php 850 become the new line between survival and collapse? Come October, Bohol—and all of Region VII—waits.

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