Labor unions and federations have found an
ally in Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.
That’s because he is pushing for the passage
of Senate Bill 2002, which calls for a national minimum
wage hike of P150 for all private sector workers, including those in the agricultural industry, by December this
year.
There’s another senator, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who is seeking a P12,00 increase in the minimum wage, this time for those working in government.
This should also put him in the good graces of those
sweating it out in frontline public agencies.
That’s all well and good, except that there’s a
big obstacle in the double-barreled move in the upper
chamber of Congress to give workers in both the private and public sectors a reprieve from galloping inflation.
The problem is this: A wage hike bill is not
among the priority measures of Congress.
But Zubiri believes the Senate should take up
Minimum wage hike
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the cudgels for the working class, even if the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) is
similarly not inclined to support a wage hike bill.
Zubiri justifies his move to speed up the passage of a wage hike bill in clear terms: “The cost of living
has increased all over the country and they need that
decent wage so they can have a decent life.”
And more: “We need it. Our countrymen are really struggling.”
That may sound like music to the ears of our
labor force, but Zubiri’s exuberant endorsement of a legislated wage hike by the end of this year may not be
shared at all by his fellow lawmakers in the House of
Representatives.
Zubiri appears undeterred, however, and even
vowed to appeal to no less than President Marcos Jr.
himself to consider his proposal.
The Senate honcho would also have to deal
with existing law that created the regional wage boards
with tripartite representation – labor, employers and
Sept. 11-17, 2023
government – where they consider the stand of every
member of the committee before making a decision,
which, as experience shows, is lopsided in favor of employers.
And then there’s the persistent lobbying from
employers’ groups every time there’s a clamor from
workers for a bigger wage increase: “We cannot afford
it” and “We shall be forced to close shop if wages are
adjusted upward at this time.”
The Employers Confederation of the Philippines wants lawmakers to consult with economic managers first before passing the measure and to consider
the situation of workers in less formal types of employment.
Zubiri believes the Senate wage hike bill it
is poised to approve by December this year “will be a
great Christmas gift for the Filipino people for 2024.”
We really hope so, as fair and decent wages
is a crucial factor in driving sustainable growth, but will
the employers think so as well?
