Nograles urges PBBM to certify proposed P200 wage hike as urgent

The chairman of the House labor and employment committee appealed to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to “take the reins” on the issue of the proposed legislated wage hike for minimum wage earners by certifying it as urgent.

“I believe we are now at the point where we need executive action. We are past the need for reviews from the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, rather, what the people need is for Pres. Marcos to certify as urgent the proposed wage hike.

Umaapela po tayo sa Pangulo dahil kailangang kailangan na ng mga kababayan natin ang umento sa sahod,” Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said. Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro recently announced that the president has instructed the regional wage boards to review the workers’ pay.

Nograles, however, contended that with rising hunger and increases in public transport fares, Pres. Marcos should instead have a direct hand in ensuring that Filipino workers are given a lifeline.

“Madalas ay kakarampot at hindi sapat ang pagtaas ng sahod na itinatakda ng mga regional wage board. Naniniwala tayong ang pinakamabilis at mabisang interbensyon na maipapatupad natin ay ang P200 wage hike upang makabili ng pagkain para sa kanilang pamilya ang ating mga manggagawa,” said the lawmaker.

A survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations in March showed that around 27.2 percent of Filipino families, or 7.5 million households, experienced involuntary hunger in the past three months. This was the highest since the 30.7 percent recorded in September 2020.

Meanwhile, the minimum fare for the Light Rail Transit Line-1 increased from P15 to P20 yesterday, with the maximum fare for a single-journey ticket rising from P45 to P55.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is also set to rule on pending petitions for a P2 provisional increase in jeepney fares, along with a P2 fare hike for both city and provincial buses. Nograles said that an urgent certification by the president on the proposed wage hike could help its eventual passage.

“Once session resumes in June there will only be six days remaining to pass the bill. An urgent certification would help us bypass the three-session-day rule between the 2nd and 3rd reading passage of the proposed wage hike,” the solon said.