The House of Representatives’ labor and employment committee chair and Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles on Thursday reassured workers that “the fight for better wages is still not dead” despite the wage hike bill’s failure to be passed on third reading before session adjourned this week.
“Magpapatuloy po ang session sa June, at magkakaroon tayo ng dalawang linggo bago magsara ang 19th Congress,. Huwag po kayong mangamba, hindi natin hahayaang mauwi sa wala ang pagsisikap natin para sa umento sa sahod—patuloy po natin itong ipaglalaban nang maipasa ang panukala sa 19th Congress,” the lawmaker said.
On Monday, the Lower House approved on 2nd reading House Bill No. 11376 calling for a P200-peso increase in the pay of minimum wage earners. The version passed by Nograles’ committee initially sought a wage increase for all workers in the private sector.
“Jobs, food security, and the ability to cope with the high price of goods and services are top election concerns, which underline the urgent need for the wage hike.”
The bill also exempts barangay microbusiness enterprises from implementing the hike, while businesses regularly employing fewer than 10 workers, along with those adversely affected by natural calamities or human-induced disasters, may apply for exemption.
However, since the bill was not certified as urgent by the president, Congress was not able to bypass a rule stating that there should be at least three session days between the 2nd and 3rd reading passage of a proposed measure.
Nograles expressed his regret that the wage hike bill could not hurdle Congress before it adjourned.
“Nanghihinayang tayo na hindi naipasa sa third reading ang wage hike bill o House Bill No. 11376 dahil sa three-session-day rule. Ngunit nagpapasalamat pa rin tayo na naipasa ito sa 2nd reading, dahil ibig sabihin ay mas malapit na tayo sa pangarap na dagdag na sahod para sa minimum wage earners,” Nograles said.
In the interim, Nograles emphasized the need to continue drumming up support for the measure to ensure that the “issue remains front and center.”
“Jobs, food security, and the ability to cope with the high price of goods and services are top election concerns, which underline the urgent need for the wage hike. Kaya’t mahalagang patuloy nating ipanindigan ang panawagan para maipasa ang umento sa sahod,” said Nograles.
A recent survey by the Social Weather Stations on top election concerns in the country showed that 94 percent of Filipinos would vote for candidates who advocate for “increasing job opportunities” and “developing agriculture and ensuring food security”, 87 percent for reducing poverty and hunger, and 85 percent for controlling the prices of basic goods and services.
