The chair of the House of Representatives labor and employment committee hailed the approval of a wage hike for minimum wage earners in Metro Manila, saying it will provide “much-needed relief” amid the high cost of living in the capital.
“Napapanahon ang wage hike na ito. This will provide much needed and immediate relief to our minimum wage workers in the metro. Pero hindi po dito tumitigil ang laban para sa kapakanan ng manggagawa,” Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said.
Nograles said that despite the wage hike, Congress will continue to deliberate on various bills proposing increases ranging from P150-P350.
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board – National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) today announced that Wage Order No. NCR-25 approving a P35 wage hike was signed on June 27 and published Monday.
With the order, the daily minimum pay for non-agriculture workers would be set at P645 from the current P610.
Meanwhile, the daily minimum wage for workers in agriculture (plantation and non-plantation), service/retail establishments employing 15 workers or less, and manufacturing establishments regularly employing less than 10 workers, will now be P608from the current P573.
The order takes effect 15 days after its publication.
Nograles said that despite the wage hike, Congress will continue to deliberate on various bills proposing increases ranging from P150-P350.
“Patuloy po natin paguusapan sa Kongreso ang panukalang wage increase. Ang nais natin ay makapaghanap ng magandang compromise na tutugon sa pangangailangan ng ating mga manggagawa, na hindi naman ikalulugi ng mga nagbibigay ng trabaho,” the lawmaker said.
He also reiterated the importance of other measures that would lower the cost of living.
“Hindi lang wage increase ang solusyon. We also need to implement sustainable measures in agriculture, transport, energy, education, and health.
“Ang target ng pamahalaan, ay mapapababa natin ang kailangang gastusin ng manggagawa para makapamuhay nang marangal at masustentuhan ang pangangailangan ng kanilang pamilya. At naniniwala ako na kumikilos ang administrasyon para mapatotoo ito,” Nograles also said.
