MANILA, Philippines — The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the biggest confederation of labor groups in the country, on Sunday revived its call for the immediate passage of the legislated P150 across-the-board daily wage hike.
It added that the P150 legislated wage hike is needed on top of the pay increases in the private sector granted by the various regional wage boards in 15 out of 16 regions nationwide.
“[The price of] everything is going up—food prices, utility bills, SSS contributions, and now even the train fare—everything except workers’ wages,” said TUCP vice president Luis Corral.
Earlier, LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) petitioned for a fare hike of up to ₱15 for a one-way end-to-end journey. The daily minimum wage in the National Capital Region (NCR) increased only by ₱35 last year.
“If approved, this means an additional ₱30 daily expense for workers who are commuting to and from work roundtrip through the LRT-1 system. NCR minimum wage earners will be left with just a measly ₱5 of the recent wage increase. How can a meager ₱5 increase offset or even cushion skyrocketing prices and rising SSS premiums? This untimely fare hike will erode the ‘too little too late’ wage increase rather than easing workers’ financial strain at a time when the specter of poverty and hunger looms large” Corral said.
The petition for fare hike comes on the heels of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealing that 63 percent of Filipino families consider themselves poor, the highest since 2003, and 51percent of families rate themselves as food-poor, the highest since 2004.
“A ₱150 legislated wage hike is a lifeline for Filipino workers and their families. Instead of enduring more fare hikes, price increases, and additional deductions at this time, the Filipino working class demands and deserves a higher take-home pay right now that is above the poverty line and moves closer to a living wage. This will ensure they can afford not only decent meals but also a dignified life to secure their future,” Corral said.
The proposed P150 legislated wage hike has long been pending in the House Committee on Labor and Employment.
A counterpart measure, Senate Bill 2534 or the P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act of 2023, was approved on third and final reading early last year.
House BILL 7871, authored by TUCP party-list Rep. Democrito Mendoza, was filed in April 2023.
The P150 legislated wage increase is strongly opposed by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines, and six other business groups.
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