QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The Gabriela Women’s Party has urged the Duterte administration to address the Filipinos’ growing clamor for immediate economic relief amid skyrocketing prices.
Gabriela followed through on the latest Pulse Asia survey indicating inflation control and wage increase as top urgent national concerns. It said the “severe” price shock “is enough reason for President Rodrigo Duterte to junk the TRAIN law and hike wages amendments”.
The Duterte administration, according to the Partylist’s statement, should prioritize finding solutions to these problems rather than focus on the thinly substantiated ‘Red October ouster plot.’
Pulse Asia’s recent Bayan report revealed that 63 percent of Filipinos say inflation was an issue that the Duterte administration must immediately address. This was a 12 percent point increase from June to July 2018 surveys.
The same survey also indicated that more Filipinos were dissatisfied over the Duterte administration’s efforts to supposedly keep prices in control, with disapproval of government on this concern growing from 29 percent in June to 51 percent last July or a 22 percent-point increase.
Furthermore, 50 percent of respondents regard salary increase of workers as an urgent national concern,while charter change was placed at the least urgent concerns category having garnered only 3 percent of the respondents’ worries.
Gabriela Women’s Party said these figures dispute Malacanang’s position that price increases were just normal and that inflation is in control.
“Sampal ito sa mukha ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque at mga economic managers na ipipilit na makokontrol daw ang taas-presyo kahit pa paparaming Pilipino na ang dismayado sa mga buladas at gimik ng gobyernong ito (This is a slap in the face of Presidential spokesman Harry Roque and the economic managers who insisted that they have controlled the price increases even if there are more Filipinos who were dismayed by the gimmicks of this administration),” its statement
In light of the survey results, Gabriela is set to intensify its campaign for effective price control and wage increase for workers as contained in Makabayan bloc’s House Bill 7787 seeking to increase minimum wage across regions to a uniform P750 national minimum wage. The group will also continue its fight for the abolition of the TRAIN Law. (davaotoday.com)
