Senate workers say inflationary aid is just, a must for all workers

MANILA — The increase in inflation assistance for Senate employees is fruit of their decades-long call to the government body, their union said, as they also called for higher benefits and aid for all workers nationwide amid rapidly rising living costs.

The Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon o SENADO on Tuesday explained that the increased inflation assistance to P50,000 from the previous P12,000 was due to their call for higher benefits because their wages barely sustain a living.

They pointed out that there is a huge gap between minimum wage of workers — including rank and file government employees — and the set family living wage of P1,161 daily.

“Even if the last tranche of the Salary Standardization Law has been implemented for government staff, the true worth of our salary is not enough for a family of five to six to subsist daily,” SENADO said in Filipino.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri announced at their flag-raising ceremony on Monday that they would raise the upper chamber’s one-time inflation assistance to P50,000 from P12,000, as help to employees amid rising cost of goods and living.

This covers all 3,000 Senate staff, Zubiri said, adding that this came from savings of the Senate.

'Sana all'

The Senate president also recognized that the current minimum wage "is not necessarily a living wage" — a view that SENADO said is just right. They added that this is where recognition of small and ordinary workers are first discussed and met.

“Giving additional benefits to complement salaries that have been left behind is right and just. In the context of a salary that can sustain a living and decent living, the current wage is very far from allowing workers to live decently,” they added.