Calling it a step in the right direction, Makabayan bloc solons Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, welcomed the House of Representatives' initiative to push for a P200 legislated wage increase.
'Positive development': Makabayan solons welcome House's P200 wage hike push
At a glance
Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas (left), ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (PPAB)
Calling it a step in the right direction, Makabayan bloc solons welcomed the House of Representatives' initiative to push for a P200 legislated wage increase.
Hailing this move were Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, who have vowed to continue pushing for a more substantial wage hike.
"We welcome any step towards increasing workers' wages, as this positive development stems from our workers' persistent demands for a legislated wage increase. Dapat agad na ipasa ito at gawing pangunahing tungkulin ng pamahalaan," Brosas said in a statement
(This should be passed immediately and turned into the government’s top duty.)
"While we welcome this initial step for a P200 wage increase, Gabriela Women's Party will continue to push for a significant wage hike, as Filipino families are struggling to make ends meet," she added.
"Ang bill ng Makabayan bloc ay P750 wage hike across-the-board para sumapat man lang sa P1,200 family living wage (FLW)," said Castro in a message sent to reporters.
(The Makabayan bloc's bill is for a P750 wage hike across-the-board in a bid to approach the P1,200 family living wage.)
"Pero kung ibibigay ang P200 wage increase ng isang bagsakan at walang exemptions across-the-board nationwide ay it is a step at the right direction para makatulong man lang para makaagapay ang ating mga manggagawa sa taas ng mga bilihin," she noted.
(But if this P200 wage increase will be granted in one go and with no exemptions across-the-board nationwide, then it's a step in the right direction and an assistance to workers amid the high cost of goods.)
"Itutuloy pa din namin ang pagsusulong ng wage hike para makamit ang [FLW] maski matuloy ang P200 wage increase," she noted.
(We will still pursue a wage hike to achieve the family living wage even if the P200 wage increase pushes through.)
The militant solons introduced in the 19th Congress House Bill (HB) No.4898, also known as the National Minimum Wage Bill; and HB No.7568, which sought the P750 across-the-board wage increase.
According to IBON Foundation, the daily FLW for a family with five members is at least P1,207. FLW refers to the amount of family income needed to provide for the cost of living which includes all food and non-food requirements, with sufficient allowance for savings and investments for social security.
"Our workers have been demanding a P1,200 national minimum wage because that's what Filipino families need to survive...Furthermore, we need a legislated national minimum wage that will standardize wages across regions. Workers should not be divided based on their regions since price increases affect the entire country equally," Brosas said.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier announced in a meeting with major labor groups that the consensus among congressmen was to add P200 to the minimum wage.
Romualdez vowed that the House would expedite deliberations for this purpose.