As the country reels from the 11.04 percent inflation rate and the continuous increase in the prices of rice and other basic commodities today, the workers need a meaningful wage increase through the 125-peso legislated wage hike, said Elmer Labog, KMU National Chairperson.
Although the amount is not enough to raise minimum wages to the level of decent living, it would at least provide relief to the workers, said Robert Lausa, KMU spokesperson in Southern Mindanao.
House Bill (HB) 1722, filed by the late Anakpawis partylist representative Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran, aims to increase by 125 pesos the daily income of the workers in the private sector across the country.
Even if this House Bill is approved, the daily wage in Davao will reach 390 pesos onlyor 370 pesos short of the family’s living wage in the region.
But Fernandez said he is supporting the call for the 125-peso legislated wage hike.
“Although it is still not enough, it would be a big relief for me and my family, and the families of workers nationwide,” Fernandez said.
Joel Maglunsod, Anakpawis partylist consultant, said workers need a legislated wage increase because they all suffer from the incessant increase in the prices of basic goods and commodities.
Maglunsod’s group Anakpawis and the KMU do not favor any wage increase through the Regional Tripartite and Wage Board (RTWB).
“Any increase given to the workers through the RTWPB does not give justice to the workers’ demands,” he said.
Maglunsod said that even if the call for the 125-peso increase won’t be approved, any amount will do as long as it is “across the board, across the country, and through legislation.”
“That would be a big victory for our workers,” he said.
Maglunsod said the workers’ demand for a wage increase is legitimate. But he cautioned the workers that they cannot rely on Congress to pass that bill.
He said the workers should be united in pushing the lawmakers to approve the bill. “If public clamor for wage legislation is very strong, lawmakers would be pressured to heed the workers’ demand.”
He urged workers to lobby for the legislated wage increase in the district level. He said that the city council of Davao City and the provincial board in Compostela Valley Province had passed a resolution supporting the workers’ call for 125-peso legislated wage increase. He also urged workers to join protest actions for the wage hike.
Anakpawis and KMU are also pushing for House Bill 1962 for the 3,000-peso across the board increase for government employees’ monthly pay. (Marilou Aguirre-Tuburan/davaotoday.com)
