A party-list lawmaker who is one of the trusted lieutenants of Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, the Speaker of the recently concluded 19th Congress, yesterday took exception to senators’ statements blaming the House for the death of the wage hike bill before session adjourned last month, saying the criticism was “unfair” because the House of Representatives made sure to pass the best version of the bill.
“It would be very unfair to say na tinagalan ng House (that the House dilly-dallied). Kung makikita niyo ang version po natin sa legislative wage hike, kung saan isa tayo sa mga pangunahing may-akda, nagpapakita ito ng stronger commitment ng mga miyembro ng House na posible ang P200 legislative wage increase (If you will look at our version of the legislated wage hike, which I am one of the principal authors, it shows a stronger commitment of the House that a P299 legislated wage increase is possible),” Rep. Jude Acidre (PL, Tingog) told a press conference.
The 19th Congress ended without ratifying the wage hike bill, which was supposed to be up for bicameral deliberations with senators, whose approved version of the bill only proposes a P100 increase, half of the House-approved version.
The House has blamed the Senate for killing the proposed legislated wage hike bill by refusing to sit down with congressmen to reach a compromise before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die last month but senators have said congressmen sat on the bill for too long, noting that the upper chamber’s version was passed as early as February year.
Reps. Jolo Revilla of Cavite, Raymond Democrito Mendoza (PL, TUCP) and Eli San Fernando (PL, Kamanggagawa) refiled the P200 wage hike bill in the 20th Congress after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) – National Capital Region (NCR) approved a P50 daily minimum wage increase for all minimum wage earners in Metro Manila that will take effect this July 18.
Acidre said the House did not drag its feet on the legislated wage hike bill but admitted that it needed time to ensure that it would be able to pass a stronger version of the bill, which, he said, could also serve as groundwork for a faster approval in the 20th Congress.
“In the end, tayo pa nga ang nag-justify ng mas mataas na (we were the ones who justified the higher) legislative wage hike, which only justifies the perceived delay and the longer time required for us to arrive at a decision that was carefully studied,” he said. “So in the 20th Congress, I expect the same amount of diligence. May mga bagay na pwedeng madaliin pero may mga panukala na kailangang pag-isipang mabuti at kailangang buuin ang consensus (There are things that can be rushed but there are proposals that have to be studied thoroughly and need consensus).”
‘DISHONEST, TIRING’
The Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) yesterday scored President Marcos Jr. for consistently using small businesses as an excuse to reject the passage of the proposed legislated wage hike.
In a statement, SENTRO said it is unacceptable for Marcos to constantly use small businesses as a reason to refuse to support the push for a wage hike law.
“His excuse that he still needs to ‘review if small employers can shoulder a legislated wage hike’ is as dishonest as it is tiring,” said SENTRO.
The labor group said this is because all micro enterprises are exempted from the minimum wage rate as provided in the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) Act of 2002.
“In reality, small enterprises have long been supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through credit access, training programs, and market linkage initiatives,” added SENTRO.
The group believes that the real reason why Marcos refuses to support the legislated wage hike is the giant corporations and conglomerates.
It challenged Marcos to prove that he is pro-workers by supporting the refiled bill in the 20th Congress.
“If President Marcos Jr. truly cared about workers, he would stop stalling and certify as urgent the legislated wage hike bills,” said SENTRO. – With Gerard Naval
