EDITORIAL - Right to enjoy a decent income

Starting yesterday, workers in the private sector in Metro Cebu will officially get a raise in their daily wage. From P340, the daily minimum salary is now pegged at P353 following approval by the regional wage board of the petition from the labor sector for an adjustment.

The adjustment, however, was met with strong criticisms by the labor sector, which said the approval of the P13 hike in the daily salary in the region was tantamount to a slap in the face of those earning the minimum wage.   

Earlier, labor groups Living Wage Coalition and the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines respectively filed petitions for a P145 and P82 hike in the daily minimum wage, citing the present economic crisis.

During public hearings, the business sector has fought for the junking of any wage hike petition. But when the dust had settled, the regional wage board sided with the labor sector, eventually granting a P13 increase in the daily minimum wage across Central Visayas.

While the adjustment is meant to help minimum wage earners in the region cope with the rising cost of commodities, the labor sector claims it is too small to create an impact on the lives of the workers and their families.

Well, we cannot really blame the labor sector for its strong resistance against the meager hike in wage. For decades, it has been battling for the right to enjoy a decent income.

And the fact that the raise cannot cover even half a kilo of the cheapest rice variety only shows that the regional wage board was being unfair to the laborers in its decision.

Of course, the business sector has the right to reject any wage hike demand from the laborers. But considering the  prevailing friendly business climate in the country, the labor sector also has the right to demand for a decent wage increase.