Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) is urging President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to use his executive powers to increase workers' wages amid the high prices of commodities driven by inflation.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nov. 9, KMU chairperson Elmer ‘Ka Bong’ Labog said the value of workers’ salaries is depreciating as inflation soars.
“Ang P570 na minimum wage sa NCR [National Capital Region] ay katumbas na lamang ng P494 kung ipapambili mo dahil nagtaasan na ang mga bilihin. P76 pesos ang nawala. Malaking bagay ito sa mga manggagawa,” he added.
Apart from using his executive powers, Labog said Marcos also has the option to authorize the Regional Wage Boards to implement the wage increase.
He added that the President could also tap Congress to propose bills on the wage increase or ask them to remove the fuels taxes and control the prices of goods.
"Marcos Jr., napakaraming pwedeng gawin pero bakit hinahayaan mong magdusa ang mamamayang Pilipino?" Labog lamented.
The KMU also called the public to “unite” and “strengthen” the urgent call for Marcos to swiftly act and exercise his executive powers to address the country’s worsening economic crisis.
The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that country's inflation rate climbed further to 7.7 percent in October 2022.
The uptrend was primarily attributed to food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, and restaurants and accommodation services.
