House panel reviewing minimum wage

MANILA, Philippines — Due to record-high inflation, seven of the measures filed in the House of Representatives that aim to increase the minimum wage are being reviewed by the  sub-committee on labor standards.

“Congress recognizes the clamor for an increase in the minimum wage to help our fellow Filipinos cope with the rising cost of goods,” Rep. Fidel Nograles, chair of the House committee on labor and employment, said.

“We have referred the minimum wage bills to the sub-committee on labor standards to ensure that we give due focus and come up with a unified bill that best represents the intent and substance of the various bills,” Nograles said.

He said there is a need to reconcile differences in substance among the seven pieces of legislation that seek the rationalization of the minimum wage of workers in the private sector, which all have varying degrees of wage increases.

Nograles gave assurance that the sub-committee would work double-time to reconcile the various bills.

House Bill 525 of Rep. Ron Salo of Kabayan party-list and HB 4471 of Bukidnon Rep. Jose Ma. Zubiri Jr. seek a fixed amount of P750 as the national minimum wage for all workers.

HB 514 of Cavite Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla III proposes a P150 daily across-the-board increase in salary rates.

Four others – HBs 111, 3308, 4898 and 1579 – pushed for the prescription of national minimum wages by the National Wages and Productivity Commission.

Reps. Ramon Guico of Pangasinan, Josefina Tallado of Camarines Norte, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela and Yedda Marie Romualdez of Tingog party-list authored HBs 1111, 3308, 4898 and 1579, respectively.

Currently, the minimum wage adjustment is determined by the Regional Wages and Tripartite Boards.

The sub-committee on labor standards is co-chaired by Quezon City Rep. Keith Micah Tan and Caloocan Rep. Mary Mitzi Cajayon-Uy.

Aside from Brosas, other House members include Reps. Edcel Lagman of Albay, Linabelle Ruth Villarica of Bulacan, Leody Tarriela of Occidental Mindoro and Ralph Wendel Tulfo of Quezon City.