MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-one senators set aside their political differences and joined the call to lift the suspension on the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage hike in Metro Manila.
Senate Resolution No. 577, initiated by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, was signed by all senators across party lines to urge a Pasig court to overturn its previous decision halting the wage hike.
Related Stories
Only the in-hiding Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and imprisoned Sens. Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada were unable to sign.
The resolution cited Article 126 of the Labor Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 6727, as the basis for the Senate's position against the court's decision.
Zubiri said in a statement released on Wednesday, August 5, that he personally gathered signatures from the majority bloc, while Sen. Robin Padilla collected those from the minority.
"Walang partido, walang kulay dapat ang pagsusulong natin ng kapakanan ng manggagawa,” Zubiri's statement read, as reported by the Philippine News Agency.
(Our advocacy for workers' welfare should not be affected by any party or political color.)
Dangerous precedent
The first tranche of the wage hike, amounting to P60, took effect on July 25.
On July 30, Branch 152 of the Pasig Regional Trial Court issued a status quo ante order against the wage hike following a petition filed by Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc., questioning its validity.
The suspension, according to Zubiri's resolution, affected 1.1 million minimum wage earners in the National Capital Region.
"The TRO sets a dangerous precedent, where the wages of millions of workers, who live paycheck to paycheck, are allowed to be held in abeyance because of the opposition of the few," the resolution read.
Zubiri also said the petition should not prevent the wage hike from reaching workers.
"Let the Labor Code prevail and allow the P85 increase to reach the workers who have already waited long enough,” Zubiri said. “Hindi puwedeng ang isang petisyon ng iilan ang magpapahintay sa mahigit 1.1 milyong manggagawa at kanilang mga pamilya.”
(The petition of a few individuals should not keep more than 1.1 million workers and their families waiting.)
Meanwhile, Malacañang said on Tuesday, August 4, that it was preparing a document to challenge the court order and that the Office of the Solicitor General was ready to defend the wage hike.
In a statement, the labor agency welcomed the Senate's move and thanked the senators for "standing behind Filipino workers."