Lacson says minimum wage should be based on workers’ cost of living

CASTILLEJOS, Zambales— Presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson said the minimum wage of workers across the country should be based on the cost of living in every region.

The senator made the remark as he welcomed the Department of Labor and Employment’s order for the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board to review the minimum wage across the country amid the rising cost of fuel.

“Sa akin lang, ang general principle, ‘wag natin tignan ang suweldo in terms of real wage. Ang tignan natin living wage. Ang pinagbabasehan natin is yung cost of living in certain areas,” he said in a press conference here.

(The general principle here is we should not set the minimum wage in terms of real wage. We should look at the living wage and we should base it on the cost of living in certain areas.)

In explaining his point, Lacson cited as an example the areas which are considered as boundaries of Metro Manila where most of the cost of goods are similar to the prices of products in the National Capital Region.

“Ang presyo ng gasolina halos pareho naman Metro Manila at Castillejos ‘di ba? Dapat pagbigyan natin ang minimum wage earners dito. Habulin naman ‘yung sa [mga taga-]Metro Manila,” he added.

(The price of gasoline here is similar to the price in Metro Manila, right? So we should also consider the minimum wage earners here. They should be compensated like the workers in Metro Manila.)

Further, the lawmaker appealed to the administration not to politicize the distribution of financial assistance in some local government units.

Lacson made the comment as Castillejos Mayor Eleanor Dominguez mentioned that they have yet to receive the funds for their LGU’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

“Sa AICS pa lang po na matagal naming ni-request ‘yon pero wala pa po,” Dominguez said during the press conference.

Lacson then scored at the administrative issues and the politics that were involved in the non-release of the AICS funds.

“Dapat talaga ‘yung national government, tutal ikaw na ang presidente ng Pilipinas, ‘wag ka na lang mamili ‘di ba? Kapag may ganyang ayuda, colorblind ka dapat hindi yung tumitingin ka sa kuay ng politika,” Lacson said.

This was echoed by his running-mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, saying Lacson’s remark was directed to the people around the president.

“Ang nagiging kilos e ‘yung mga nakapaligid. Sila ang namumulitka e,” Sotto said.

The Lacson and Sotto tandem was endorsed by Dominguez whose husband, Jose Angelo Dominguez, is seeking a comeback in the town’s mayoral post.

Dominguez is a member of Lacson’s Partido Reporma.

After their town hall meeting in Castillejos, the tandem paid a courtesy call to Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr.

Paulino said Olongapo City remains open to all presidential, vice presidential, and senatorial candidates when asked if he officially endorses the Lacson and Sotto tandem.

Zambales has 539,573 registered voters for Eleksyon 2022.

Of the said number, 123,707 are from Olongapo City and 36,532 are from Castillejos.—LDF, GMA News