A bill eyeing a P150 across-the-board daily minimum wage in the private sector will be among the Senate’s priorities in the second regular session, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Friday.
Zubiri was referring to his Senate Bill 2002 which aims to increase by P150 per day the current P570 daily wage of workers in Metro Manila and possibly other places across the country.
Zubiri’s measure came after the Regional Wage Board approved a P40-wage hike for National Capital Region (NCR) workers. Concerned business leaders were also opposed to Zubiri’s proposal.
“Given the urgency of the situation, a legislated wage increase is called for to ease the effect of wage erosion brought about by inflation… to cover food, water, fuel, electricity, clothing, transportation, rent, communications and other personal needs,” Zubiri explained.
Congress is expected to pass the wage hike measure along with the 20 “priority measures” identified during the July 5 LEDAC meeting before lawmakers went on Christmas break in December, Zubiri said.
The priority measures included the Center for Disease Control Bill, the Amendments to BOT/PPP Law, the Internet Transactions Act, the Mandatory ROTC bill, Revitalizing the Salt Industry, the Ease of Paying Taxes, the New Philippine Passport Act and the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers.
The committee report for the Waste to Energy bill will also be tackled on the floor, Zubiri said.
“Aside from these measures, I will also be pushing for the passage of the Minimum Wage Hike bill,” Zubiri told ABS-CBN News.
Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, meanwhile, will eyes the immediate passage of the PENCAS (Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital) and the Blue Economy bills, in a bid to immediately address the ill effects of climate change.
“The PENCAS aims to provide a true, complete, and accurate report of the state of the development and economic performance of the Philippines… Government planners will be able to fully understand the natural capital available and expendable in the pursuit of national goals,” Legarda said.
“Meanwhile, the Blue Economy bill aims to protect our oceans and coasts and enhance its potential contribution to sustainable development. As one of the longest coastlines in the world, the Philippines would greatly benefit if it sustainably utilizes its marine resources… Protecting and safeguarding our environment goes hand in hand with economic development,” she added.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Congress must prioritize measures that directly address the needs of the people, like those seeking expanded maternity leave for women in the informal sector, attention on the issue of teenage pregnancy, and raising the P500 monthly social pension for the elderly to P1,500.
“Increasing the amount of social pension for the elderly would also narrow the pension coverage gap as neighboring countries such as Thailand, Brunei, Timor-Leste and Vietnam are currently implementing similar tax-financed schemes to cover all citizens of a specified age,” Hontiveros told ABS-CBN News.
“I continue to press the importance of passing a comprehensive anti-teenage pregnancy measure while pregnancies among 10 to 14 year olds continue to rise… Teenage pregnancy has been a ‘silent epidemic’ for several years already with generational consequences,” she added.
Meanwhile, Sen. Robinhood Padilla said his recent defeat in getting the support of the majority for his charter change advocacy would not deter him from advocating for bills that seek “political reforms in the country.”
Padilla said he would also seek the enactment of his proposed Medical Cannabis Act.
