THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board of Central Visayas (RTWPB 7) on Friday, June 17, 2022 has received an application from a company asking not to implement the P31 increase in minimum daily wage for their employees.Evita Mendoza-Balane, acting RTWPB 7 Board Secretary, said the company which is based in Lapu-Lapu City used the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic as basis for its application.Balane said since the new minimum wage hike took effect across the region this week, they had been getting calls from businesses asking what requirements were needed to get an exemption.To gain exemption from implementing the wage hike, companies have to show that they have incurred losses of at least 20 percent compared to their income last year, 2021.Companies applying for exemption must also issue an affidavit that their employees had been notified of their application.Under the new wage order issued on May 24, workers in Metro Cebu considered Class A will receive a new daily pay of P435 from P404, while P425 will be the new daily wage for agricultural and non-agricultural companies with less than 10 employees.The wage order took effect beginning June 14.Those under Class B and in cities not belonging to Class A such as Bais, Bayawan, Bogo, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, Tagbilaran, Tanjay and Toledo, non-agricultural workers will earn P397 and P392 for agricultural workers.For those under Class C, P387 will be the minimum wage for non-agricultural workers and P382 for agricultural employees.Balane said there are 215,684 minimum wage earners in Central Visayas working in 66,179 establishments.An estimated 107,931 domestic workers who work in chartered cities and first class municipalities in the region will now receive P5,500, while P4,500 will be the new minimum wage for those working in other areas.