Amid rising hunger and the prospect of higher inflation and prolonged lean months due to the impact of El Niño, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition calls for Presidential certification of wage hike bills now pending before Congress.
The call was in response to President Bongbong Marcos's (PBBM) pre-Labor Day order for the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) to review wage orders across various regions.
"We are afraid the President was not truly informed by his cabinet on how the regional wage boards have effectively kept minimum wages below the poverty thresholds during the last 35 years. The current system under RTWPB is insufficient to meet the basic needs of Filipino workers," said Nagkaisa Chair Sonny Matula.
Matula explained that the regional wage boards cannot solve the structural problem of discrimination and the perpetuation of low wages in the regions that workers experienced in during the last 35 years. Thus, there is a critical need for national action through legislative fiat.
He added that while the President did not specifically mention a legislative wage increase in his speech yesterday, he can do so anytime as it is within his powers and discretion without undermining the independence of Congress, which is the concern of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
“We cannot continue repeating the same actions and expect different results. Therefore, we cannot tackle the persistent issues of low wages and discrimination against agricultural workers and those in rural areas using old strategies. This desperate situation, which has persisted for 35 years, calls for new approaches, specifically legislative action,” emphasized Matula.
The coalition reminded both the Executive and Legislative departments of government of the recent surveys underscoring the urgency of this issue. Results from a survey conducted from March 21 to 25 revealed a 1.6-point increase in hunger compared to findings from December 2023, with involuntary hunger reaching its highest in Metro Manila at 19 percent, followed by Balance Luzon at 15.3 percent, Visayas at 15 percent, and Mindanao at 8.7 percent.
"While RTWPBs can make wage adjustments moto propio or by wage petitions, we find it more imperative that our legislators act swiftly to pass the PHP 150 wage hike bill. This is not just an increase; it’s a necessary step towards economic recovery and stability for our nation's workforce," concluded Matula. ###
