New labor exec mulls P100 pay hike for workers

MANILA, Philippines – Aside from police officers, ordinary workers nationwide may also enjoy a much-needed salary increase before yearend.

Newly appointed Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod said yesterday he would endorse to President Duterte the grant of an across-the-board pay hike for workers nationwide within the next six months.

“This is my personal suggestion, so that workers will have immediate relief. I will work for an increase of P100 in the daily wage of workers,” Maglunsod said in an interview.

According to Maglunsod, a proposed bill for the granting of P125 across-the-board increase in the pay of workers nationwide has been pending before Congress.

He said if Congress cannot immediately enact such measure, he would recommend to the President the issuance of an executive order within six months granting the P100 wage adjustment.

Maglunsod noted that workers nationwide are in dire need of immediate financial relief, considering the high prices of basic goods and services.

He said the wage hikes approved by the different Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) for the past years were not sufficient.

He stressed that the P100 pay hike is just a short-term solution to the sufferings of lowly paid workers.

As a long-term measure, Maglunsod said the DOLE under the Duterte government would push for the establishment of a national minimum wage.

“We want a P750 daily pay for workers in commercial establishments and P16,000 for government workers,” Maglunsod said.

“It should be national minimum wage because what’s the difference between workers from Metro Manila and those from the provinces? We are eating the same food,” he said.

Maglunsod said he expects some employers to strongly oppose moves for the pay hike in the daily pay of workers.

But he also expressed confidence that employers would eventually heed such policy since it’s not the wage that pushes up the operational cost of commercial firms but the high power rates.

A leader of the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Maglunsod also allayed fears over his appointment as labor official.

“Company owners need not fear that I will be siding with workers. As long as they are not violating the law, there is no reason for them to worry,” he said.