A LEGISLATED minimum wage hike is the best gift that the President can give to all our workers.
This was the statement made by Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, as he called on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to support the P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act, which has already been approved in the Senate.
“I am one with our President in calling for the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards to do a regular review of our minimum wages and for the National Wages and Productivity Commission to ensure that the boards do so,” the Senate President said.
“In tandem with this, I also urgently appeal to our President to consider Senate Bill No. 2534, or the P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act, which will be a massive step toward giving our hardworking laborers the living wages that they deserve. Perhaps it can even be certified as urgent, given the continued spike in the prices of goods owing to inflation.”
The bill was approved on third and final reading in the Senate in February, and is now pending in the House of Representatives.
“Our inflation rates are continuing to trend upward, at a rate that the wage boards have not yet been able to keep up with,” said the Senate chief.
In March, the country recorded a 3.7% increase in inflation, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas projecting an inflation rate between 3.5 to 4.3% for April.
“So our workers, despite making massive contributions to our industries, are still dealing with wages that are not enough to cover their needs,” the Senate President stressed.
The Senator, who is the primary author of the minimum wage increase bill, hopefully awaits counterpart bill from the House.
“All we need is the House counterpart measure, and this will be immediately felt across the sector.”
He clarified that this bill will simply augment the wage increases enforced by the wage boards, and that the succeeding wage hikes will remain the responsibility of the wage boards.
“This bill will only give a boost to the labor sector at this time of great need, as our people work to survive inflation.”
About the Author
