SEN. Raffy Tulfo has filed a resolution urging the committee on labor to conduct an inquiry on the minimum wage increase policies to determine if they are consistent with the needs of the workers and the economy in the wake of the rising inflation rate.
In Senate Resolution No. 476, Tulfo said that while a minimum wage increase took effect last year, it will not able to sustain the living conditions of the workers since an inflation rate of 8.7 percent was reported in January this year, which has “significantly impacted the cost of living,” making it difficult for workers to make ends meet.
The last minimum wage increase took effect June 4 last year, with the rates ranging from P533 to P570 per day in Metro Manila. The minimum wage increase outside Metro Manila took effect from June 6 to 30 also last year, with the rates ranging from P306 to P470.
Tulfo said the minimum wage serves as a critical tool to ensure that workers enjoy basic standard of living and to promote economic growth.
“It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that the minimum wage is set at a level that provides workers with decent standard of living, taking into account factors such as inflation,” he said.
Labor groups have called for a new round of wage hikes to recover the lost purchasing power of the peso not only in Metro Manila but in other parts of the country as well.
Tulfo said: “It is imperative to improve the standard of living and quality of life for workers, particularly those in the lower income bracket and to ensure that the policies on the minimum wage increase are fair, effective, and consistent with the needs of the workers and the economy.”
