A coalition of labor groups on Thursday called on both houses of Congress to immediately convene as a bicameral conference committee after the House of Representatives passed the P200 wage hike bill.
In a statement, the National Wage Coalition (NWC) said it is imperative for the House of Representatives and the Senate to immediately convene to reconcile and pass the measure that will provide an increase in the minimum wage for the private sector.
“We urge both chambers of Congress to immediately convene as a bicameral conference committee to reconcile the House’s P200 version with the Senate’s P100 proposal,” the NWC said.
“Time is running out. With only three session days left next week, Congress must act swiftly and decisively to produce an enrolled bill for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signature,” it said.
Doing so, it said, will bring the country one step closer to realizing the fundamental right of every Filipino worker to a living wage.
“Let us meet this historic defining moment with unity and urgency, thus ensuring that no one who works for a living for a minimum wage will ever be condemned to a life of hunger and hardship,” the NWC said.
“Show the nation what statesmanship and solidarity look like when it matters most: a quick, focused, and productive bicam that prioritizes workers’ welfare over political partisanship and bureaucratic hurdles,” it added.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved on a vote of 171-1-0 House Bill No. 11376 or the Wage Hike for Minimum Wage Workers Act.
The Senate, meanwhile, approved its version of the legislated wage hike as early as February 2024.
The NWC is comprised of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition (NAGKAISA!), and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).
