National labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno held a protest at the House of Representatives urging lawmakers to pass a counterpart bill to Senate Bill 2534 which recently passed on its third and final reading in the Senate.
The group reiterated that the 100-peso wage increase is measly compared to family living wage standards, but it remains necessary amidst rising prices of goods and services.
“Albeit welcome, we would like to highlight that this is insufficient for the daily needs of workers, especially amid the spikes in prices over the last few months. According to the IBON Foundation, the family living wage for a family of five is now pegged at P1193/day. Nonetheless, we expect the speedy passage and implementation of such a wage increase.” said the group.
KMU also expressed grave concern over House members echoing the sentiments of the Federation for Economic Freedom (FEF), Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) against wage hikes.
“Those statements are a brash denial of the woes workers face every day and our right to decent living conditions.” added the labor center.
The group asserted that House lawmakers must provide avenues for workers to be heard in the halls of Congress instead of railroading efforts for Charter Change.
“We believe that holding hearings and providing platforms for workers to air out our concerns would be a far more beneficial and worthwhile effort than pushing for Charter Change. We expect the Congress to prioritize passing legislation for the workers who drive the economy.” stated Kilusang Mayo Uno.