Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Sunday said the government should lead by example by complying with the labor standards which entitle employees to a minimum wage.
If the government is serious about protecting workers’ rights and fighting against unjust labor practices, Tulfo stressed that it must start by ensuring that people working for the government are earning a decent salary.
He said local street sweepers and traffic aides, among other government employees are still being paid below the industry standard.
Because of this, Tulfo said he is pushing for decent wages for government workers.
Under Local Budget Circular No. 143 (s. 2022), he said the salary of street sweepers and traffic aides is dependent on the income classification of Local Government Units (LGUs).
Street sweepers, as indicated in the LBC, can earn a maximum of P14,993 a month to as low as ₱8,648, which is equivalent to an estimate of P376 a day.
Traffic aides, for their part, can earn a maximum of P17,899 a month to as low as P9,181.00 or P399 a day.
He emphasized that street sweepers and traffic aides are considered the country’s frontliners, especially at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the dangers brought about by the global health crisis, he said they continued reporting to work.
According to the neophyte lawmaker, the government should serve as a good example to encourage private companies to comply with the labor standards as stated by the law.
“It is important to lead by example. If the government will not give right wages to employees, how can we expect private companies to comply to labor standards and properly compensate their employees?” he said.
