Lawmakers are calling for a wage increase

Lawmakers on Wednesday urged the government to provide more protections for workers and ensure they earn a decent living through better wages.

“Despite playing a critical role in our economic landscape, our workers remain largely undervalued for their contributions,” Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said in a statement. “And so, we in the Senate stand with every Filipino worker in the fight for their rights, from better wages to safer workplaces.”

The Senate in February passed a bill calling for an across-the-board minimum wage increase of P100 for private sector workers, amid warnings that too high an increase could fuel inflation.

Separate bills have been filed before the House of Representatives that seek to increase wages of private sector workers by P150 to P750, as well as another bill mandating an entry-level wage of P33,000 per month for state workers.

Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said the government must address the plight of formal and informal workers, especially as they work in extreme heat and weather.

“It is my firm belief that our laws and policies must embrace the diverse realities of today’s workers,” she said in a statement.

In the House of Representatives, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said the house will work to devise ways to provide Filipinos with quality job prospects.

“The government is steadfast in its resolve to create more jobs and promote an environment where labor rights are protected and economic opportunities flourish,” he said in a statement. — John Victor D. Ordoñez