The legislated wage hike need not be flagged as urgent by the Malacañang, as the bill was already in its advanced stages when the 19th Congress adjourned, said a lawmaker.
Ejercito, a legislator pushing for an increase in private sector workers’ wages, explained that the bill was only a few steps behind enactment, reported RH 28 Raymund Dadpaas.
“Sa kasamaang palad po sa pagbawi ng mga kasamahan natin mula sa House of Representatives ng kanilang acceptance ng Senate version, ito ay mistulang hakbang paatras para sa tuluyang pagsasabatas ng panukalang nating ito,” Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said.
(Unfortunately, with our colleagues from the House of Representatives withdrawing their acceptance of the Senate version, it appears as though we have taken a step backwards from the full enactment our bill.)
He said that records and inquiries from hearings held during the 19th Congress were complete. All that needs to be done is one last hearing under the new Congress before submitting a committee report, if legislators were truly serious about passing the bill into law, he added.
Ejercito proposed that ₱250 be added to workers’ daily wages, which is higher than the ₱100 first approved in the Senate and the ₱200 put forth by the House of Representatives.
The senator admitted his proposed salary increase may change and that he will allow for a reduced adjustment, as his priority is the ratification of the bill for Filipinos who have long been awaiting the wage hike.
He said the ₱50 addition among workers in Metro Manila is a nominal increase given the high prices of goods, and all workers, not only those in the National Capital Region (NCR), should benefit.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on June 30 that the regional wage board approved a ₱50 increase in wages for private sector workers within the National Capital Region.
