Senators criticize P40 minimum wage increase as insufficient
MANILA, Philippines — The recent approval of a P40 increase in the daily minimum wage for private sector workers in the National Capital Region received criticism from three senators, who argue that the raise falls short of meeting workers' needs.
The wage adjustment will raise the daily minimum wage for non-agricultural workers from P570 to P610, and for those in the agriculture sector, service and retail establishments with 15 or fewer workers, and manufacturing establishments with less than 10 workers, from P533 to P573.
The senators believe that the approved increase is inadequate compared to the proposed P150 across-the-board daily minimum wage hike, which had received preliminary approval from the Senate committee on labor, employment, and human resources development.
While acknowledging the positive aspect of the wage increase, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that it is still insufficient to meet the needs of workers.
“That’s a wonderful development for our workers. Although it’s not enough,” Zubiri said on Thursday.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who chairs the Senate labor panel, welcomed the wage increase but expressed concern that it may not provide a living wage in Metro Manila.
"As a product of a tripartite body where employers, workers and the government are all represented, we are confident that this amount serves and protects the interests of all stakeholders," Estrada said in a statement Friday.
"Nevertheless, this does not mean that bills proposing adjustments in workers’ wage rates which are currently pending before my Committee on Labor, will be put on the back burner," the senator added.
Estrada assured that the pending bills proposing wage rate adjustments would not be sidelined and vowed to prioritize their discussion when Congress resumes its second regular session in July.
"While these bills await action in the legislature, we hope that other RTWPBs (Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards) across the country will follow suit, either by addressing filed petitions or initiating action on their own accord," the senator said.
Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, urged employers with the means to provide supplementary allowances or benefits to their employees.
"Pagtulung-tulungan nating mabigyan ng ating mga manggagawa ng disenteng buhay ang kanilang pamilya (Together, let us extend a helping hand to ensure our hardworking labor force and their families can enjoy a respectable standard of living)," the female senator said.
The approved wage increase, slated to take effect on July 16, will directly benefit approximately 1.1 million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila, according to the Department of Labor and Employment.
An estimated 1.5 million full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage may also indirectly benefit through adjustments made at the enterprise level to address wage distortions, the labor department added.
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