THE chairman of the House Labor and Employment Committee appealed to President Marcos to intervene on the issue of the proposed legislated wage hike for minimum wage earners by certifying it as urgent.
Meanwhile, the minimum fare for the Light Rail Transit Line-1 increased from P15 to P20 yesterday, with the maximum fare for a single-journey ticket rising from P45 to P55.
“I believe we are now at the point where we need executive action. We are past the need for reviews from the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, rather, what the people need is for President Marcos to certify as urgent the proposed wage hike,” Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said.
“We appeal to the good heart of the President because workers badly need a wage hike,” he added.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro recently announced that the Chief Executive has instructed the regional wage boards to review the workers’ pay.
Nograles, however, contended that with rising hunger and increases in public transport fares, President Marcos should instead have a direct hand in ensuring that Filipino workers “are given a lifeline.”
“More often than not, wage hikes set by the Regional Wage Boards were skimpy. We believe that the fastest and efficient intervention that can be implemented is P200-increase to enable our workers to buy food for their families,” Nograles said in Filipino.
A survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations in March showed that around 27.2 percent of Filipino families, or 7.5 million households, experienced involuntary hunger over the past three months, the highest since the 30.7 percent recorded in September 2020.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is also set to rule on pending petitions for a P2-provisional increase in jeepney fares, along with a P2-fare hike for both city and provincial buses.
Nograles said an urgent certification by the President on the proposed wage hike could facilitate its eventual passage.
“Once session resumes in June there will only be six days remaining to pass the bill. An urgent certification would help us bypass the three-session-day rule between the 2nd and 3rd reading passage of the proposed wage hike,” the solon said.