The House of Representatives should pass its own version of the legislated wage hike if it is serious in wanting the measure to be passed into law as soon as possible for the benefit of the workers, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said on Sunday, July 6.

Ejercito noted that the measure is already in the advanced stage during the 19th Congress and yet their counterparts in the Lower House dallied over its passage and eventually submitted it late to the Senate.

The House had approved a P200 daily minimum wage increase, while the Senate version approved a P100 minimum pay hike. The bicameral conference committee failed to reconcile the different provisions of the bill due to lack of time. 

“Kasi doon ako nagtataka po sa kanila, hindi naman ho, pasensya na po. I'm just being honest. We passed it 2024. I think February pa yata yun. So more than one year and a half has passed, doon po nila pinasa (Because that's where I'm wondering about them, no, sorry. I'm just being honest. We passed it in 2024. I think it was February). So more than a year and a half has passed, they passed it there,” Ejercito said in an interview over Radio DZBB.

“So sana kung talagang seryoso po talaga ang ating counterparts, noong 2024 pa lang, nagpasa na sila, hindi na kinakailangang i-certify (If our counterparts were truly serious about it, they could have passed in 2024, even without the need to certify it), we would have passed it right away,” he pointed out.

This time around, in the 20th Congress, Ejercito said he is hopeful that the measure would be approved at the soonest time possible.

“The information is already there, the data, and the deliberations during the committee hearings and plenary. So it will be easier for us to pass it,” said the senator who is proposing a P250 daily minimum wage increase in his version of the bill.

“They can prepare the committee report immediately then pass it in plenary. So I don’t think there’s a need for it to be certified (urgent). Because if both houses are serious about it, then we can pass it as soon as possible even without the certification),” he said.

Nevertheless, Ejercito said he hopes that the wage hike bill will be included in the priority legislation during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to expedite its approval.

“Maganda yan kung masasama sa priority legislation ng LEDAC. Kung yan po ay maisasama. Kung seryoso din ang ating administrasyon, isama po talaga rin sa LEDAC po yan (It would be good if they include it in the priority legislation by the LEDAC. If that is included. If the administration is also serious, they will include it in the LEDAC),” he said.

Ejercito said he hopes there would be no repeat of a“last-minute” scenario when the House submits its own version of the legislated wage hike bill to the Senate.

“So hopefully this time around (in the 20th Congress), hindi na po maulit yun (it won’t happen again),” he said.

“Kung talagang seryoso ngayon pa lamang (If they are serious, right now), let’s get back to work. First week pa lang, dapat may hearing na kaya kagad yan kung talagang seryoso po (They should hold a hearing on the bill during the first week of session, if they are truly serious),” the lawmaker insisted.