House of Representatives Spokesperson Princess Abante has accused the other legislative chamber, the Senate, of "killing" the measure calling for a P200 hike for minimum wage earners.

“Let’s not sugarcoat it — the Senate killed the ₱200 wage hike bill,” said Abante, a lawyer.

In particular, Abante slammed the lack of a Bicameral Conference Committee hearing on the two chambers' differing versions of the wage hike bills. These House version sought a P200 increase--twice the amount proposed by the Senate.

“[Wednesday] night was the final session of the 19th Congress. No bicam. No compromise. No wage hike. And the reason is simple: ‘Ayaw ng Senado makipag-usap. Gusto nila, tanggapin na lang nang buo ang ₱100 nila. Bakit? Bakit binabarya ng Senado ang mga manggagawa?" asked the Hoise spokesperson.

(The Senate didn't want talk. What they wanted was for us to accept the in full the P100 proposal. Why? Why is the Senate giving loose change to the laborers?)

In a bicam hearing, contingents from the House and Senate sit down to reconcile the differing versions of a bill. Abante said House members were prepared to do this with the wage hike bill, but the Senate’s inaction left them dumbfounded.

“They were ready to sit down, defend the ₱200 proposal, and fight for labor — only to find out the Senate had no intention of meeting at all,” she said.

The House had approved its version of the bill on third reading and submitted its bicameral panel several days prior to the scheduled sine die adjournment of the 19th Congress last June 11. 

The Senate, however, only named its conferees on the eve of sine die and refused to engage in bicam talks, and insisted that the House adopt its watered-down ₱100 version without discussion.

“We were ready to deliberate. We came in good faith. But what the Senate gave us was a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum. Wala silang balak makipag-usap. Gusto nila, sunod lang kami (They had no plans for a discussion. They just wanted us to follow them). That’s not how democracy works. That’s not how we serve the people," Abante said.

Abante emphasized that the House version was carefully crafted to include exemptions and safety nets for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). She said this made it both pro-labor and economically responsible.

“This was not a reckless proposal. It was a responsible, well-considered measure. But instead of dialogue, ang ibinalik sa amin ay tahimik na pagtanggi at pagmamadali (what ee got in return was silent rejection and hastiness).’”

She stressed that the public should know the wage hike didn’t fail due to lack of effort, but because of the Senate’s unwillingness to deliberate.

“The people deserve accountability. Hindi ito pagkukulang ng Kamara. Ginawa namin ang trabaho namin. Pero ang Senado, iniwan sa ere ang manggagawa (This is not the House's shortcoming. We did our job. But the Senate left the laborers hanging),” she said.