Gov't workers group calls for P33,000 minimum monthly wage

A government workers group is calling for the national minimum wage to be increased to P33,000 monthly for government workers, following the call of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for a review of the prevailing minimum wage rates in every region in the country.

According to the Confederation for Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), the review of the minimum wage rates should also include government workers.

“Ang panawagan namin, national minimum wage based on living wage — P33,000 across the bureaucracy,” COURAGE National President Santiago Dasmarinas Jr. said in a report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

“‘Pag gusto may paraan. ‘Pag ayaw ang daming dahilan,” he added.

(Our call is for a national minimum wage based on a living wage — P33,000 across the bureaucracy… If there’s a will, there’s a way. If they don't want to do it, there are all these excuses.)

The P33,000 monthly wage would translate to a daily wage of P1,650 based on 20 working days per month. This is more than double the current daily minimum wage of P610 in Metro Manila, and more than four times the minimum wage of P361 in the Bangsamoro region.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) called for the same minimum wage for all workers, as it said entry-level teachers should be paid P50,000 monthly.

Just last week Marcos ordered a review of the minimum wage rates in every region, as he said wages should take into consideration the impact of inflation. The latest inflation print was recorded at 3.7% in March.

According to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), any wage increases for government employees will first have to be tackled by Congress, but the department would implement it should it be approved.

“When it comes to implementing another round of increases, binigyang direktiba ni President Bongbong Marcos ang Gabinete na magsagawa ng study para po masiguro na ang compensation po ng lahat ng ating mga civilian government personnel ay maging generally competitive kumpara sa mga nagtatrabaho sa private sector,” DBM Undersecretary Goddes Hope Libiran said.

“The new round of salary increases for government shall require legislation, similar to SSL (Salary Standardization Law). Kung maipapasa naman po ang batas na ito, DBM will find a way to fund it,” she added.

(When it comes to implementing another round of increases, the President directed the Cabinet to conduct a study to ensure that the compensation of civilian government personnel is generally competitive compared with those in the private sector.

The new round of salary increases for the government shall require legislation, similar to SSL. If this law is passed, DBM will find a way to fund it.)

For its part, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said minimum wages are set to be tackled in the coming days.

“Amin na pong tatalakayin kung paano po natin pabibilisin, kagaya po ng nais ng ating pangulo… na mabawasanang ika nga’y uncertainty,” DOLE secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said.

“Gustong maging predictable at makapaghanda rin naman ‘yung mga namumuhunan na may kinalaman po sa usapin ng pagtataas po ng umiiral na minimum wage sa bawat rehiyon,” he added.

(We will be tackling how to expedite this, like what the President wants… to remove the so-called uncertainty. We want to make it predictable so that those affected by an increase in the prevailing minimum wages in every region would be able to prepare.) — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News