House Committee on Labor and Employment Chairman and 1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Enrico Pineda has castigated the Department of Labor and Employment–National Wages and Productivity Commission (DOLE-NWPC), claiming that they were being reactive instead of proactive in addressing the issue of minimum wage amid the seemingly unending fuel price surge.
He made this assertion during the Labor and Employment panel hearing on Thursday, March 17 which sought to institutionalize the minimum wage of private sector employees.
“What we see here is that the NWPC is not proactive at all, I think you’re more reactive. The last time that we had a wage increase was in 2018 and in 2018 the price of galunggong (round scad) was P140 , so after four years the price of galunggong has already doubled. So that alone can speak for itself that the galunggong is not the poor man’s diet.... Minimum wage earners cannot afford it anymore,” said Pineda.
Upon inquiry by Baguio Rep. Mark Go, NWPC Executive Director Criselda Sy bared that the commission received six petitions for minimum wage increases from the National Capital Region (NCR), Region 3, Region 4A, Region 6, Region 7, and Region 8.
According to Sy, the wage boards could convene either following petitions from the community, or motu proprio.
Furthermore, the NPWC was not able to put forward a recommendation for the House panel's report.
“Yung mga regional boards (Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards) po when they receive the petition immediately po nag-convene na po (When regional boards receive these petitions, they immediately convene)...And as of this time, can I just commit to those boards who met motu proprio because I do not have the information at this time, what I do have are those regions with petitions,” said Sy.
Suffice it to say that panel chairman Pineda wasn't amused.
“Hindi na dapat ay umabot sa ganitong punto na kami pa ang nagpapatawag sa inyo, dapat kayo na mismo ang gumagawa ng aksyon (It shouldn’t reach this point where we have to call on you, it should be you taking action) If you’re not doing your job we might be compelled to abolish the NWPC and maybe create another entity for that matter,” he chided Sy.
The panel then approved a motion urging the NPWC and the regional boards to present a recommendation for the proposed salary increases in each of the different regions within 30 days effective on March 17.
At present, minimum wage in the NCR stands at P537 a day. It ranges from P310 to P420 outside the metropolis.