PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will look into the economic implications of the proposed P200 minimum wage hike and consider the opinion of all stakeholders, including the wage boards, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Thursday.
Castro made the statement during a briefing in Malacanang, after the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading a bill that seeks to raise the minimum wage for private sector workers.
She said the president is concerned about the welfare of the workers and wants to provide what is fair and would be good for everyone.
The bill still has to undergo deliberation and pass the Senate before reaching the president, she added.
“This will still be studied,” Castro said in Filipino. “Like what the president said, the economic implications would be looked into, but the president wants to give what is right and what would be good for the Filipino workers.”
She said Marcos also wants to get the opinion of the wage boards.
The president, on Labor Day last month, said the 16 regional wage boards have already implemented wage hikes since June 2024.
Marcos said new wage hikes should be studied thoroughly amid their impact on businesses and the economy.
In his meeting with labor leaders in Malacañang on Tuesday, Marcos reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to upholding workers’ rights and promoting their welfare.
“I have spoken with our labor leaders to ensure that the rights and welfare of our workers remain protected,” he said in Filipino.
“The government continues to support open and meaningful dialogue towards dignified work, adequate wages, and a hopeful future for every Filipino family,” Marcos added.
Present at the meeting were House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza, Associated Labor Unions (ALU) National President Michael Democrito Mendoza and leaders of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines, All Workers Alliance Trade Unions, Pambansang Kilusan ng Paggawa, the Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO), and Southern Mindanao Federation of Labor.
