House labor panel approves P200 across-the-board daily wage hike
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The House committee on labor and employment approved Thursday a P200 across-the-board daily wage increase for private sector workers after congressmen and labor organizations recently agreed on the rate.
The unanimous approval of 10 House labor panel members followed Speaker Martin Romualdez's announcement that a consensus daily minimum wage of P200 was reached by House leaders and labor groups during a meeting Tuesday at the Batasan Pambansa.
House Deputy Speaker and TUCP Partylist Rep. Democrito Raymond Mendoza, one of the authors of the measure, said the wage hike would lift about 5 million minimum wage workers out of poverty.
"Tama na, sobra na (Enough is enough). Let's end poverty wages," Mendoza said.
"Let us make history together and pass this law after 36 years," Mendoza added, referring to the last legislated wage hike which dates back to 1989.
Outside the Batasan Pambansa, labor groups held a rally to call for the passage of bills for a legislated wage hike.
The protest action coincided with the hearing of House committee on labor and employment.
Several bills for a legislated wage hike are pending at the House, ranging from P150 to P750 daily across the board.
Why not?
The Senate already approved a P100 legislated daily minimum wage hike for private sector workers in March 2024.
Mendoza, however, said there was no reason to peg the across-the-board daily wage increase to less than P200.
"Why P200? I say, bakit hindi P200? Ano ba ‘yan? The higher, the better. P645 a day [minimum wage in Metro Manila], kaya pa ba? [Bibili ka ng] pagkain, may kaltas pa sa SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig. And then, masakit pa ‘yung si Junior, yung mga bata. [Baka] maospital pa. Paano ano 'yung other expenses [kung di mo tataasan ng P200]?," Mendoza told reporters after the approval of the measure.
(Why P200? I say, why not P200? The higher, the better. Is P645 a day minimum wage in Metro Manila doable? Workers need to buy food, then there are deductions from the Social Security System, PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig. Worse, the children may get sick and end up in the hospital. What about the other expenses if we don't push for a P200 hike?)
“Who can live with P645 a day? Hindi kaya. So, whether the timing or ano 'yan, ang importante, ipasa. At kaya ipasa,” Mendoza added.
(Who can live with P645 a day? We can't do that. So whether the timing or other factors, what's important is to pass it, and that it can be passed.)
Likewise, Mendoza said the P200 across-the-board daily wage increase will address inequality in wages since the daily minimum wage in the country differs by region and are determined by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.
"At present, all [daily] minimum wages are lower than the poverty threshold, except for NCR (National Capital Region) na nakapatong [lang sa threshold] (which is just above the threshold). Is this the policy of the government? Now, if you have a P200 increase, all the wages per region will be over the poverty threshold," Mendoza said.
“If you make it P100, there are three regions who will be left [behind]: Region 5 (Bicol Region), Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) and Bangsamoro Region. So, the higher the number, the more regions, more workers will be out of poverty,” Mendoza added.
The rat race
Lawyer Sonny Matula, president of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), backed Mendoza, saying the P200 across-the-board daily wage hike will get workers out of the poverty loop.
"For too long, wages have been stagnant—stuck longer than EDSA traffic—while prices of basic goods like rice, gas, and transportation, including SSS (Social Security System) and PhilHealth contributions continue to climb like they’re in a race we never signed up for," Matula said.
“A fair wage is not a privilege—it’s a right. And that right must be fought for at all levels,” Matula added.
The fight for the bill's passage, however, is also a race against time.
Race against time
Congress will be in session for a week before adjourning on February 7 to give way to the campaign period for the May 2025 polls.
Both houses will resume session from June 2 to 13 before the 19th Congress ends.
Given the timeline, the wage hike bill should be approved on second and third reading by the House and its different House and Senate versions reconciled and ratified by Congress within three weeks.
By the end of 19th Congress, the wage hike bill should be ready for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s signature to become a law .
If the bill is certified urgent by the President, the House can approve the measure on second and third reading on the same day to expedite the process.
Otherwise, the bill will have to be refiled in the 20th Congress which starts on July 28.
Given the tight timeline, Mendoza stressed the need for the President to take appropriate action.
"Mister President, please, certify this as urgent. You have said no one should be left behind. [Pero] naiwan na 'yung manggagawa (But workers have been left behind)," Mendoza said. — with a report from Tina Panganiban Perez/ VDV, GMA Integrated News
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