House panel rejects call to adopt Senate's wage hike bill

The House committee on labor and employment on Wednesday turned down the proposal of Senator Joel Villanueva to simply adopt the Senate’s version of the bill to increase the daily minimum wage of workers to P100.

In a letter addressed to Villanueva, House panel chairman Rep. Fidel Nograles appealed for the immediate convening of the bicameral conference committee within the day to reconcile both versions of the wage hike bill before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die. 

The version of the legislated P200 wage hike earlier approved by the House of Representatives offers a higher increase than the P100 approved by the Senate. 

“The House strongly prefers a transparent and deliberative bicameral process, rather than being bamboozled into accepting the Senate version wholesale, without discussion or compromise,” Nograles wrote.

“That is not how co-equal chambers of Congress are expected to legislate. We cannot and should not be forced into a corner where our only option is to rubber-stamp a version that does not reflect the result of honest dialogue,” he added. 

Villanueva, on Tuesday, June 10, also wrote a letter to Nograles, appealing to the House of Representatives to adopt Senate Bill No. 2534, or the "P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act of 2024," as approved by the Senate on third reading in February, in substitution of House Bill No. 11376, as approved by the House on third reading on June 4.

Villanueva is the chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.

The senator argued that the Senate's version of the bill, “which took into consideration the existing socio-economic conditions and positions of various sectors, may be a more widely-acceptable position to take.”

To recall, Villanueva has expressed concern regarding the House’s approval of the P100 wage hike bill, as it might get vetoed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if adopted by the Senate.

Malacañang said that Marcos will look into the economic implications of the proposed increase in the minimum wage hike. 

Nograles, for the House’s part, said, “There is a very real danger that our workers will be left with nothing” if the bicam does not immediately convene. 

“We do not view disagreement as a problem—it is the lifeblood of democracy. What we find deeply concerning is any attempt to circumvent the process by limiting dialogue or bypassing bicameral reconciliation,” he said. 

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Monday the measures seeking an increase in the daily minimum wage of workers is not a priority of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). —VAL, GMA Integrated News