TUCP wants daily minimum wage in Central Luzon hiked to P820

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Tuesday filed a petition seeking a significant increase in the daily minimum wage in Central Luzon, citing continuous price hikes and food requirements.

In its petition, the TUCP seeks to increase the minimum wage in Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales from 420 to P820.

The proposed P400-increase covers P343.45 computed for the daily food requirement, P39.90 to address the growth of consumer prices, and P17.22 for the inflationary uptrend so far this year.

“The current minimum daily wage of P420 can only accord workers and their families nutritionally deficient survival meals, which if continuously unaddressed, an army of undernourished Filipino workers will have greater repercussions in the future of the country and the economy,” the petition read.

“There is need to give substance to the country’s policy of inclusive development, and shared prosperity and burden,” it added.

Inflation clocked in at 4.0% in March, the fastest since September 2021’s 4.2%. The last time inflation increased by at least 1% was in December 2019, when it jumped to 2.4% from 1.2% in November of the same year. 

At least 20 wage hike petitions are pending before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), covering areas such as Central Luzon, the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, the Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and the Davao Region.

National Wages and Productivity Commission Executive Director Maria Criselda Sy said last month that the regional wage boards had expedited the review and adjustment process.

DOLE Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay, meanwhile, said that the department expects to come up with a decision before May. —VBL, GMA News