Senators hit back at accusations made by House of Representatives Spokesperson Princess Abante, claiming the Senate “killed” the proposed P200 daily minimum wage hike, saying it was the lower chamber’s delays and last-minute actions that doomed the measure.

Senator Joel Villanueva, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment, minced no words against the House for dragging its feet.

“The House of Representatives has clearly set the stage to ensure the wage hike bill’s failure. They never had any intention of passing this measure in the first place,” Villanueva said in a statement.

"It was dead on arrival because of the intransigence of some to have a measure that is more realistic and more acceptable to all stakeholders," he added.

The Senate had already approved Senate Bill No. 2534, which proposed a P100 wage increase, as early as February 19, 2024 and immediately sought its adoption by the House.  The House passed its version, House Bill No. 11376, which sought a P200 hike, more than a year later on June 4, 2025, just days before the 19th Congress was set to adjourn.

According to Villanueva, what the Senate received on June 5 was not the approved bill itself, but only a list of House conferees. The third reading copy of the House bill was only officially transmitted 24 hours before the last session day.

He added that they formally appealed to the House to adopt the Senate version, given the limited time left. On June 11, during the last day of session, Villanueva said that they saw House panel chairman Rep. Fidel Nograles' letter on social media rejecting their proposal. The same was sent at night to his office via email only.

“We could have had a landmark law, if only realism and sincerity ruled over false pretenses,” Villanueva said.

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero, said that this " a classic case of passing the buck." He said that the the Senate bill was not acted upon by the lower chamber until a few hours before the adjournment on June 11, 2025, leaving no ample time for discussion and the convening of the bicameral conference committee.

“Bakit ba kung kailan huli biglang sasabihin dine-delay namin at wala kaming oras para i-adopt ‘yung kapapadala lang nila. Kung pinadala nila bago kami mag-adjourn noon pa, e ‘di mas madaling pag-usapan ‘yun at mapag-aralan (Why is it that only at the last minute are they saying we’re the ones delaying things and that we don’t have time to adopt something they just sent? If they had sent it prior to our adjournement before, then it would’ve been easier to discuss and study it),” Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said.

The Senate President explained that all the House needed to do was to manifest in plenary that it is adopting the version of the Senate on the wage hike bill, the need for the bicameral conference committee would be negated and the measure would already be enrolled for signing of the President.

Escudero said there was no data coming from the House to support the viability of its minimum wage hike proposal from the businesses that will be affected, as well as its impact on the economy if ever this is enacted into law.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada echoed Villanueva’s sentiments, dismissing Abante’s accusations as “baseless” and calling her out for lack of research.

“Unang-una, yung spokesperson ng House, si (First of all, the House spokesperson) Princess Abante, she should do a lot of research first before opening her mouth,” Estrada said.

“It took them a year to pass their own version of the P200 wage hike. At gusto nila mag-bicam (And they want to have a bicam) two days before adjourning sine die. How can we do that?” Estrada said, explaining that he, as well as Villanueva, was busy presiding over their Commission on Appointments (CA) committees.

He mentioned that House Deputy Speaker Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza approached him, begging if they can constitute the bicameral conference committee. Estrada said that he told Mendoza to just adopt the Senate version, which will be a lot easier.

“They had one more session, one more day before adjourning sine die. But they did not do anything. So tapos sasabihin nung spokesperson ng House of Representatives that we killed the legislated wage hike. That is not true. Sinungaling yan (And then the spokesperson of the House of Representatives will say that we killed the legislated wage hike. That is not true. She's lying),” he said.

Estrada also stated that adopting the P200 wage hike would have economic repercussions. He also stated that if the House were actually serious about helping workers, they could have acted on the bill a year ago.

"Mga nagpapapogi lang sila. Tapos isisi nila yung Senado. That's not right (They're just trying to look good. Then they blame the Senate. That's not right)," he said.

Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, the Senate bill’s principal author, also expressed deep disappointment over the missed opportunity.

"This measure, which would have granted a P100 daily minimum wage increase, could have been one of the most meaningful legacies we leave behind, an act of justice and compassion for the backbone of our economy," he said.

"There are conflicting versions of what happened, and I won’t speculate. All I know is, if there is anyone who can explain what went wrong, it must be the chairs of the bicameral panels. They owe the Filipino people an answer," he added.

He said that members of the House even visited them in an unofficial capacity to express support and lobby for the measure, but he was hoping for an official bicameral conference to iron out the differences between the two versions.

Zubiri, who had to assert his inclusion in the bicam panel after initially being left out, vowed to refile the bill in the next Congress.

“They [workers] deserve more, and it is our duty to deliver what is just,” he said.

In his manifestation in plenary, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri aired his disappointment at the insistence of the House on the 200-peso minimum wage hike, “when we all know the businessmen, the small and medium enterprises cannot afford such a large sum.”

“We would like to inform our workers that the Senate did its best to fight for the rights and fiscal incentive of having another 100 pesos a day increase. I am disheartened that they (House members) don’t want to negotiate with us. Obviously, if we adopt the 200-peso minimum wage bill mabi-veto ni Presidente ‘yan (the President will veto that) and if that will be vetoed, you torpedo the measure and it looks bad on everyone,” Zubiri said.