Proposed P100 minimum wage hike for private sector reaches Senate plenary

The bill seeking an additional P100 in the daily minimum wage of workers in the private sector reached the Senate plenary on Wednesday. 

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, chairperson of the Senate labor, employment, and human resources development committee, sponsored Senate Bill (SB) No. 2534 or “An Act Providing for a 100 Pesos Daily Minimum Wage Increase for Employees and Workers in the Private Sector.”

The current daily minimum wage in the National Capital Region is at P610. 

“Under this measure, all employees in the private sector in the entire country, whether agricultural or non-agricultural, are entitled to a P100 minimum wage increase,” said Estrada in his sponsorship speech. 

“This would guarantee an increased daily pay for around 4.2 million minimum wage earners,” he said. 

The proposed wage hike under the bill was adjusted from P150 to P100 following the regional wage boards’ hiking of minimum daily wage rates from P30 to P89.

Last year, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board issued wage orders for increases in the minimum wage of employees in Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Central Visayas, among others. 

“The Senate’s effort to legislate an increase in minimum wages augments the wage increases already issued by the regional wage boards,” Estrada said. 

“After consideration of the existing socio-economic conditions and positions of various sectors, it is incumbent upon us to propose a daily pay hike to help alleviate the burden of Filipinos in the face of soaring prices of basic commodities and rising cost of living,” he further said. 

“We cannot turn a blind eye on the injustice to and the economic conditions of our workers, who are considered the lifeblood of the economy,” he added. 

According to Estrada, the value of the minimum wage has fallen to P514.50 in the capital as of July 2023 and further decreased to P504 for October 2023.

It also falls short in providing the basic needs of workers’ families which is estimated at P8,379 per month, the senator added. 

“Ang pagtaas ng sahod ng mga manggagawa sa mas disenteng lebel ay napapanahon at talagang kailangan para ipantay, kahit papaano, sa pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin,” he said. 

(It is about time for a wage increase to help the workers cope with the rising prices of commodities.)

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, for his part, expressed support for the measure, saying a legislated wage increase would contribute to improving the situation of workers in the country.

“With this bill we hope to take the vital step in recognizing the worth of our workers. Ang mga manggagawa po ang pundasyon ng ating lipunan at karapatan nila na kumita ng disenteng sahod para magkaron ng disenteng buhay ang ating manggagawa,” he said. 

(With this bill we hope to take the vital step in recognizing the worth of our workers. They are the foundation of our society and it is their right to earn decent wages.)—AOL, GMA Integrated News