Tulfo urged to lead push for legislated wage hike
MANILA— A labor group called on Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Friday to not just seek a review of the country’s minimum wage policy but to also push for the passage of a law that will grant a P100 minimum wage hike for all workers amid rapid inflation.
Partido Manggagawa chairperson Rene Magtubo said in a statement that workers need “immediate relief” through a legislated wage hike as repealing the current law that fixes minimum wages across the country will take time.
“Workers are demanding for a P100 across-theboard nationwide legislated wage hike and are hoping for action from those who they consider idols in the Senate. We call on Sen. Tulfo to fight for workers who look up to him,” Magtubo said.
He added: “We call on the labor movement to link up arms to win war, that is to fight for a wage increase for wage recovery. The working class needs champions in and out of Congress but only unity and action of workers can defeat the resistance of employers to a wage hike.”
Tulfo recognized in Senate Resolution No. 476 which he filed Monday that the previous minimum wage hikes in different regions including Metro Manila “will not be able to sustain the living conditions of workers,” adding that an emergency
wage order might be needed.
According to the labor group’s own calculations, which it said it based on the latest consumer price index from the Philippine Statistics Authority, P88 has been shaved off the P570 minimum wage of Metro Manila workers as inflation unexpectedly hit a new 14-year high of 8.7% in January.
Currently, there are no proposals pending in the Senate that seek a nationwide minimum wage hike, although Reps. Ron Salo (Kabayan party-list) and
Jose Ma. Zubiri Jr. (Bukidnon) have filed bills seeking a P750 national minimum wage while Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla III (Cavite) has proposed a P150 across-theboard increase.
PM also called for the abolition of regional wage boards that set varying minimum wages in different parts of the country. It instead pushed for the creation of a national wage commission to adjust wages on the basis of price increases and productivity growth.
“Even before the recent inflation, wages have stagnated amidst a decade and half of 50% rise in labor productivity. This means that employers have monopolized economic growth and workers have been left behind,” Magtubo said.
He added that a review of wage setting goes beyond talk of salaries as he called for the scrapping of “regressive taxes” like value-added tax and the imposition of wealth taxes, social security subsidies for informal workers, and discounts on basic commodities. com)