Palace supports DOLE order to review minimum wage

Malacañang on Thursday expressed support to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III's order to review the country's minimum wage amid the series of fuel price hikes aggravated by the situation in Ukraine.

“So I will take it from Labor Secretary [Bello] na kung 'yun ang kanyang policy -- the Labor secretary is the alter ego of the President -- then yung ang maganda para sa atin,” acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

Andanar said he agrees that minimum wage earners should earn more as their current salaries are not enough for their daily needs.

“Yun talaga, paano mo tutulungan ang mga kababayan lalo na yung minimum wage earners kung tataas yung inflation? ‘Di ba yung P20,000 mo, ano na lang magagawa sa P20,000, P10,000, o P15,000? so kailangan talagang dagdagan,” he said.

In a statement on Wednesday, Bello said minimum wage in the National Capital Region may no longer be enough for workers and their families.

Bello said he has ordered the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards across the country to hasten the review of minimum wages.  —KBK, GMA News