SEN. Loren Legarda said Filipino workers need a fair living wage, noting a significant gap between the current minimum wage and the true cost of living.
“The statistics we see on paper do not align with reality,” Legarda said during the briefing on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE).
The senator added that the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) definition of employment does not reflect the actual labor conditions in the Philippines.
Sen. Loren Legarda. (Adrian Luciano, Senate Social Media Unit / Joseph B. Vidal, OSP)
“This basis is very loose. Individuals are already considered employed if they have worked for at least one hour during the survey period (ILO Labor Force Survey), which doesn’t reflect the actual state of employment in the country. What we want to know is the true state of the country — the true condition of Filipinos,” Legarda said.
Legarda urged the DoLE, the Institute for Labor Studies and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to conduct a more realistic survey on Philippine labor conditions.
“We can create our own basis for measuring the employment and unemployment rate. We need a clear picture of those in desperate situations to create and provide proper interventions and programs for them,” she said.
The senator expressed concern over the latest PSA report showing a notable rise in the Philippine unemployment rate by 4.7 percent, or 2.38 million, as of July. This was a significant increase from the 3.1 percent recorded just a month earlier, in June.
Legarda had championed numerous laws focused on enhancing livelihoods and employment opportunities for Filipinos, including the PESO Act, JobStart Philippines Act, and Barangay Livelihood and Skills Training Act of 2008.
In the current Congress, she co-authored and co-sponsored the P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act of 2024.
“The current minimum wage does not adequately meet the basic needs of our people, and it is time for us to address this long-standing issue. A person’s wage must be enough to provide for their family, afford decent housing, food, and healthcare, and meet other basic needs. A humane wage is not just about numbers — it’s about dignity, fairness, and ensuring a decent standard of living for every Filipino,” said Legarda.
Be the first to comment