Ka Leody welcomes DOLE’s review of minimum wage, urges increase to P750

Labor leader and presidential candidate Leody de Guzman on Thursday expressed support for the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) review of the minimum wage, stressing that it should be upgraded to P750 nationwide.

At the Pandesal Forum hosted by Kamuning Bakery Cafe, de Guzman reiterated his proposal of raising the daily minimum wage of all local workers to P750, following Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello’s statement that the minimum wage in the National Capital Region (NCR) may no longer be enough for workers and their families amid the steep increase in the prices of fuel and other basic goods.

“‘Yun ay isa na sa kailangan na ngayon na itaas ang sahod ng manggagawa hindi lang dahil sa COVID kundi dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina [the workers’ wages should be increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fuel hike],” de Guzman said.

He however noted that merely reviewing the minimum wage is not enough, as Bello ordered the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPB) across the country to do.

He pointed out that the Bello should have also urged the RTWPBs to push for the substantial increase in the minimum wage as labor groups cite consumer price index, labor productivity, and decreasing wages as compared to the poverty threshold for their plight.

“Sa bawat araw na lumilipas na naigugugol sa pagrerebyu imbes na sa agarang pagtataas sa sweldo ay kamakaunti ang pantustos ng mga manggagawa para sa kanilang mga pamilya. Kaya't ang minimum wage review ay dapat tapusin agad ng National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) para sa lahat ng rehiyon sa buong kapuluuan,” De Guzman said.

[With each passing day spent on reviewing instead of immediately increasing their wages, the workers get fewer means to provide for their families. The NWPC should thus finish reviewing  the minimum wage for all regions in the country.]

“Salubungin ng mga kinatawan ng DOLE ang petisyon ng mga manggagawa sa apat na regional wage boards. Huwag nang hintayin pang maghain ang mga labor representatives sa ibang mga rehiyon at itakda na ang mga hearing para sa panukalang P750 national minimum wage sa lahat ng regional wage boards,” he added.

[DOLE authorities should address the workers' petition on four regional wage boards. Don't wait for labor representatives in other regions to file and set hearings for the P750 national minimum wage proposal.]

The Partido Lakas ng Masa standard bearer then called on DOLE to side with the workers in protesting against the “starvation wage” as the living wage itself is already stated in the Constitution.

Aside from increasing the national minimum wage to P750, De Guzman also earlier vowed to prioritize making the wages of the employees in provinces the same as those in Metro Manila, if he wins the May 9 polls.

He emphasized that he does not see the essence of varying salary rates when the prices of the goods and services, as well as the value-added tax, in the provinces and in Metro Manila are just the same. — BM, GMA News