MANILA, Philippines — The daily minimum wage for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) will increase by P35 on July 17.
Implementation of the new wage order in Metro Manila will not be affected by the pending appeal filed by labor groups, according to Department of Labor and Employment-NCR director Sarah Mirasol.
“The appeal will not defer the effectivity of the wage order, which will start on July 17,” Mirasol said over the weekend.
A petition to reverse the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board’s wage order was filed by the Unity for Wage Increase Now (UWIN) and other labor groups before the National Wages and Productivity Commission.
Labor groups asked the NWPC to set aside the P35 wage hike and declare a daily minimum wage of P1,207, which is considered by the IBON Foundation as the average family living wage in the NCR.
They also demanded Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma’s resignation for failing to “uphold the interest of workers.”
Senate President Francis Escudero earlier described the P35 wage hike as “grossly inadequate.”
The wage order increased the daily minimum pay of non-agriculture workers to P645 from P610.
UWIN president Charlie Arevalo said they would continue fighting for the family living wage regardless of the NWPC’s ruling.
Nationwide pay hike sought
Regional wage boards outside Metro Manila should take the cue from the wage hike in NCR to soften the impact of recurring inflation, according to House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan.
“We are counting on all regional wage boards outside Metro Manila to figure out the pay increases needed to help workers cope with the spiraling prices of basic commodities,” Libanan said.
The other 16 regional wage boards should act fast in giving private sector workers “immediate relief from the soaring cost of living,” he said.
Filipinos aged 18 and above cited salary increase as their second most urgent concern after “controlling inflation,” based on a Pulse Asia report released over the weekend.
Congress will continue deliberating on a proposed wage hike of P150 to P350, said Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles.
“The government’s target is to lower inflation and make prices of basic goods affordable to everybody regardless of their status in life,” he said.
SONA
A P150 legislated wage hike should be included in President Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address on July 22, according to labor coalition Nagkaisa chairman Sonny Matula.
“The President must show decisive leadership in his SONA by including the agenda on wage recovery, generating jobs and taming inflation,” Matula said yesterday.
The House of Representatives, he said, must act swiftly to address workers’ pleas.
The P40 wage hike in July 2023 had no adverse effects on the unemployment rate in Metro Manila, Matula pointed out.
Speaker Martin Romualdez should expedite the passage of the pending legislated wage hike bill with “urgency and dispatch,” Matula said. — Delon Porcalla
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