TUCP asks for R320 pay hike in MM
Convinced that the existing daily minimum wage is not enough for a family of five to live decently, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) filed yesterday a R320 across-the-board wage increase petition for the private sector in Metro Manila before the wage board.
In filing its petition before the Regional Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR), the TUCP cited National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Ernesto Pernia’s statement that a family of five needs at least R42,000 a month to live decently.
“TUCP believes that a regional across-the-board wage increase of R320 is now needed in NCR (or Metro Manila) because the existing R512 daily minimum wage is not enough for a household with at least five members to survive and to live a decent life,” TUCP President Raymond Mendoza said in a statement.
Based on Pernia’s statement that a R42,000 monthly income is needed by a family of five, TUCP Vice President Manuel Corral said: “That is roughly equivalent to R1,400 daily income which means that R832 is still far from a decent daily wage but we will still appreciate it if the wage board will grant our present petition.”
With an additional R320, the TUCP said the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila will be R832.
A parallel House Bill 7805 was also filed earlier by TUCP Partylist which proposes a P320 increase in the minimum wages in all regions.
Survival wage
However, the labor group said the R832 per day wage is still a “survival wage” in Metro Manila given the soaring costs of rice, fuels, sardines, school supplies, education, medical support, transportation and all other basic goods and services due to the implementation of the TRAIN law, oil price increases and dramatic peso depreciation.
Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) directed all RTWPBs nationwide to assess the prevailing minimum wage rates in their respective jurisdictions amid the recent spike in prices of basic goods and commodities.
The last wage hike in Metro Manila was imposed back in September 2017 and took effect in October 2017.