Wage bill has chance of passage with Zubiri's support —Hontiveros

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros sees the bill providing for the P150 across-the-board wage hike gaining ground with the support of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.

“At least, [this bill] has a chance because we have a Senate President talking about and championing it. Others may say that the economic team will oppose this, but this has prompted the NCR (National Capital Region) Wage Board to act,” Hontiveros said during the Kapihan sa Senado.

“This action is a weather vane that could start a trend among regional wage boards. NCR Wage Board granted P40 a day, which is minimum but still better compared with the Duterte administration,” she added.

The senator said the NCR Wage Board’s decision could prompt the other regions to approve the wage increases for their workers.

“This could start a domino effect or some kind of virtuous cycle on other regional wage boards, that is why I definitely support Senate President Migz on his advocacy for this,” she said.

Aside from the wage hike, Hontiveros also called for strengthening the regional wage boards, including institutional adjustments such as giving a number of government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and National Economic Development Authority one vote as a unit.

Hontiveros also sought discussions on issues such as the regional wage boards abolition, wage setting per industry, universal basic income and security of tenure.

“These are the bills that should be passed,” Hontiveros said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News