Senator Ramon ‘’Bong’’ Revilla Jr. today, March 20, expressed optimism that a legislated increase in wages would be approved by Congress.
“It is important that we have a living wage. Matagal na itong inaasam ng ating mga mangagawa (Pur workers have been clamoring for it). i am optimistic,’’ he said.
He was referring to the bill of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri seeking a nationwide P150 peso increase in the daily wages of workers in the private sector.
Revilla emphasized that he realizes that a balancing of interests between employers and laborers would need to be had.
Revilla said he has been filing bills for legislated wage increases since his first term in the Senate.
According to Senate records, he filed Senate Bill (SB) 2179 for the 14th Congress; SB1981 in the 15th Congress; SB937 in 16th Congress; SB71 in the 18th Congress; and SB2018 in the 19th Congress.
He was the lone author in the 16th and 18th Congresses and has filed a proposal this Congress with Zubiri filing his own version of the measure.
‘’Ako po ay lubos na natutuwa at nagpapasalamat kay SP Zubiri at sa mga kasamahan natin sa Kongreso na ngayon, nagkakalinaw na itong dekada na nating ipinaglalaban (I am happy and I thank Senate President Zubiri and our colleagues in Congress that the issue is not clear in this decade),” the veteran lawmaker saidd.
Revilla stressed that “our workers are the backbone of our economy.’’
He expressed his optimism that with the support of the Senate’s leadership, the legislated increase in wages will be approved.