Marcos orders review of minimum wage rates

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered a review of the minimum wage rates in every region. 

Marcos made the directive during his speech at the Labor Day with the President event in Malacañang Palace. He said the wage should be in consideration with the effects of inflation rate.

''As President, I call on the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards to initiate a timely review of the minimum wage rates in their respective regions, with due consideration to the impact of inflation amongst others, within 60 days prior to the anniversary of their latest wage order,'' Marcos said. 
 
The President also directed the National Wages and Productivity Commission to review its rules to ensure regular and predictable schedule of wage review, issuance, and effectivity to reduce uncertainty and enhance fairness for all stakeholders.

Marcos also called on Congress to pass laws that will support the attainment of the government's jobs creation agenda, including the Enterprise-based Education and Training Program law, the Revised Apprenticeship Program Act, and the CREATE MORE law or the law on Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy.

Economic think tank IBON Foundation recently said that minimum wages across the 17 regions of the country are not enough to meet a typical family of five’s needs to cover food and non-food costs.

In the National Capital Region, the daily minimum wage stands at P610 — the highest in the country — up from P460 as of April 2023.

In his Labor Day message, Marcos acknowledged the invaluable efforts of the Filipino laborers not only in providing the needs of their families, but also in contributing to the development of the Philippine economy.

The President said the Philippines has been built ''upon the sweat and toil of Filipino workers as he acknowledged the people who championed labor rights.'' 

“On this special day, we recognize the invaluable contributions of our hardworking men and women whose grit and resilience have paved the way for our national development,'' Marcos said. 

''We also pay homage to all the people who raised their voices in the pursuit of social justice, championing the rights of workers and ensuring that their efforts are duly valued and compensated,” he added. 

Marcos has declared May 1 as a regular holiday pursuant to Proclamation No. 368 dated October 11, 2023.  

Labor Day rallies

Meanwhile, workers' groups and other organizations marked Labor Day with protest actions in Metro Manila to call for wage hike.

Protesters in the morning gathered in different areas such as España Boulevard and Recto Avenue in Manila as well as in Mabuhay Rotonda in Quezon City.

The protesters were also calling for the P150 across-the-board daily recovery increase, according to a report by GMA Integrated News' Mariz Umali on Unang Balita on Wednesday.

On España Boulevard, among the groups who participated in the mobilization were Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

At Mabuhay Rotonda, around 2,000 protesters held placards calling for the abolition of provincial pays, Mark Makalalad reported on Dobol B TV.   —KBK, GMA Integrated News