Palace says Marcos not against wage hike

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. is not against wage hike, Malacañang clarified Friday.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked for reaction on the statement made by Kabataan party-list that it was Marcos who ''killed'' the proposed measure to raise the salary of workers as he favors the ''rich boys club.''

''Diktador ba ang Pangulong Marcos Jr.? Hindi naman po. Hayaan na lang po muna natin ang usapin na 'yan sa Kongreso at ang Pangulo naman po ay hindi tutol sa increased wage hike dahil ito po naman ay makakabuti sa mga manggagawa,'' Castro said. 

(Is President Marcos Jr. a dictator? He's not. Let's leave the discussion to the Congress. The President is not against wage hike since this is good for our workers.) 

However, Castro said there is a process that must be followed in increasing the wage of workers.

With 171 yes votes, zero no votes, and one abstention, the House of Representatives last week approved on third and final reading the proposed measure granting a P200 increase in the daily minimum wage for workers in the private sector.

The House version of the legislated wage hike offered a higher increase than the P100 approved by the Senate. The House and the Senate will have to reconcile the differences at the bicameral conference committee before transmitting the enrolled bill to Malacañang.

But since the 19th Congress has adjourned sine die, the bill will have to be refiled in the 20th Congress.

Marcos will look into the economic implications of the proposed increase in the minimum wage for workers, Castro earlier said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News