Robredo favors reassessment of minimum wage amid oil price hike

Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo is in favor of reviewing the minimum wage of workers amid the unabated oil price hike.

"There is a need to assess [the minimum wage]. Marami 'yung humihingi ng pagtaas ng minimum wage...binabasa ko 'yung mga opinyon ng mga economists na ang sinasabi nila 'yung minimum wage ngayon actually, 'yung actual value niya mas mababa sa kung ano talaga 'yung wages ngayon dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin," Robredo said in an interview at the sidelines of her campaign stop in Romblon.

(A lot of sectors are asking for a raise in minimum wage, and I have been reading the views of economists that the actual value of minimum wage now is lower because of the increase in prices of basic commodities.)

Robredo made the remarks  after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said the minimum wage in the National Capital Region may no longer be enough for workers and their families amid the rising prices, and that he has ordered the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards across the country to hasten the review of minimum wages.

"Ito kasi [ay] mahabang proseso, kasi kailangan pakinggan hindi lang 'yung saloobin ng mga sumasahod pero 'yung saloobin din ng mga employers (This is a long process, because we need to hear both the employees and the employers). It is a balancing act," she pointed out.

Robredo, however, said the decision should be made as soon as possible.

"Pumalo na 'yung pagtaas ng presyo. Huwag na tayong maghintay na grumabe pa 'yung sitwasyon bago tayo umaksyon," she added.

(The prices are rising. We should not wait for the situation to worsen before we take action.)

As this developed, Robredo said her presidency will allocate the lion's share of the national budget to address the needs of far flung and small communities which are often overlooked because of their location and thin population.

She cited her office's projects in Romblon which aided fisherfolk, students wishing to go to college, community learning hubs for students amid the COVID-19 pandemic, among others.

"Under a Robredo presidency, babaliktarin natin ito. Lalo ka malayo, lalo kang maliit, lalo kang mahirap, mas pagtutuunan ka ng pansin. Dahil for a very long time hirap ka talaga sa access sa tulong ng pamahalaan.

(We will turn the policy upside down. The farther and smaller you are, the poorer you are, you will get the most attention because for the longest time, government service has been inaccessible to you.)—AOL, GMA News