Senatorial aspirant Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday, March 15 expressed support for the wage hike petition filed by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

Estrada, who is seeking a Senate comeback after a six-year absence, said a wage increase is necessary considering that Filipinos have been suffering from successive oil price hikes, which in turn have caused a rise in the price of basic necessities.

As former chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, Estrada said the National Capital Region-Regional Wages and Productivity Board must study and act on TUCP’s proposal to add P470 to the daily wage of workers in Metro Manila.

He said: "We badly need the collective experience and wisdom of the wage boards on how to strike a balance between the interests of workers and their employers who pay their salaries."

Estrada said there is no doubt that higher wages are necessary to keep pace with the increasing cost of living, but it must be an amount that can be afforded by employers.

"It requires a delicate balancing act. If wages are increased too high, we run the risk of companies laying-off workers or worse, closing shop," he said.

Estrada, on the other hand, also called for understanding of the businessmen's situation, saying many of them ceased operations due to lack of capital and financial losses during two years under the Covid-19 pandemic.

If elected senator, Estrada said he would pursue the reform of the Wage Rationalization Act, which placed the responsibility of setting the minimum wage on the 17 regional wage boards.

This stemmed from his belief that the practice of setting minimum wages is absurd because it has consistently failed to keep up with inflation.

"The national government should have more flexibility in adjusting the basic pay of ordinary workers especially in times of crises or emergencies," he said.