P200 raise only for minimum salary earners
A watered-down version of House Bill No. 11376 mandating a P200 daily minimum wage increase only for minimum wage earners in the private sector was approved by the House of Representatives on Monday.
The original proposal, approved by the House Committee on Labor and Employment, called for a P200 across-the-board increase, a measure being opposed by big businesses.
Speaker Martin Romualdez met with labor leaders and representatives of the country’s major labor groups last week where they agreed to push for a P200 across-the-board wage increase, an amount double what is being proposed under the Senate-approved version of the bill.
The bill, however, was amended by substitution before it was voted upon and approved on second reading.
It was set to be approved on the third and final reading last night.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) slammed lawmakers for the watered-down version of the proposed bill, pointing out that it would not benefit all workers in the country.
“From across-the-board, where all private sector workers will benefit, it has been limited to minimum wage earners,” the KMU said in a statement, adding the P200 increase is not enough.
It said the family living wage is pegged at P1,200 per day.
Nevertheless, KMU called on the President to certify the proposed measure as urgent so it could be passed as soon as possible.
“The soaring prices of basic commodities are further eroding the value of the meager salaries of workers. Thus, Marcos should certify the bill as urgent,” the group said.
When no committee or individual amendments were introduced to the bill, Leyte Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon, an assistant majority leader, moved that HB No. 11376, under Committee Report No. 1384, be substituted.
“Earlier, we distributed to the members copies of the substitute bill to House Bill No. 11376. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Section 106 of our rules, I move to amend by substitution the entire bill as contained in Committee Report No. 1384, with the contents of the substitute bill earlier distributed to all the members,” she said.
The differences between the House and the Senate versions of the bill can be ironed out at the bicameral level but the House has the option to adopt the Senate version to expedite the bill’s passage as time is running out.
The House is set to adjourn session today, Wednesday, and the campaign period officially begins on February 11 for senatorial candidates and those running for party-list positions in Congress.
For candidates running for local positions, including congressional candidates in various districts, the campaign period will start on March 28.
Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT) lambasted business groups opposing the wage hike bill despite being the major beneficiaries of corporate tax cuts under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act.
“Mahiya naman sila sa ating mga manggagawa. Todo ang pagtutol ng mga negosyante sa P200 wage increase habang sila ay nakinabang nang bilyon-bilyon mula sa CREATE law (Businessmen should be embarrassed for opposing the P200 wage bill for our workers when they raked in billions from the CREATE Law),” she said in a statement.
Castro, a member of the militant Makabayan bloc, also criticized the President for saying the wage hike bill needs “further study,” calling it a “delaying tactic.”
“Sobra nang nagtitiis ang mga manggagawa sa napakababang sahod. (Workers have long been enduring low wages). The wage boards have consistently failed our workers. Hindi na dapat patagalin pa ang pagbibigay ng makatarungang sahod (The granting of just compensation cannot be delayed any longer),” she said.
Castro said at this rate, the P200 wage increase is already a product of a compromise with the business community since the hike should have been more.
“This modest increase must be passed immediately. Our workers have waited long enough. Dekada na silang naghihirap sa kakarampot na sahod (They’ve been suffering for decades because of low salaries) while businesses continue to enjoy generous tax cuts and huge profits,” she said.
TUCP Party-list Rep. Democrito Mendoza said workers can no longer wait for a legislated wage hike, saying the meager wages of workers should be considered a “national emergency” that demands immediate government action.
“Everything is rising—food prices, utility bills, jeepney and train fares, and even social security contributions—while workers’ wages remain stagnant, barely enough to keep them from starvation and desperation,” said the lawmaker.
“This is a national emergency demanding that the President certify as urgent this P200 legislated daily minimum wage hike so we can pass it right now, not months from now,” added Mendoza.