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E-mailIn order to help workers cope with the skyrocketing prices of basic goods and services, the Trade Union of the Philippines (TUCP) urged the Labor department to implement a P75 across-the-board daily wage increase for Metro Manila workers.
The petition, filed by TUCP party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza before the NCR Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board on Monday, seeks a P75 increase to the current minimum wage of P382 to help cover the continuous increase in the "cost of living" of workers in the metropolis.
“Wage increase for private sectors in NCR is urgent in the midst of skyrocketing prices. Power and water utilities and oil firms are also planning to increase their charges and that would further erode the purchasing power of the workers' salary,” read Mendoza's statement.
According to the TUCP, consumer prices in Metro Manila had already surged 5% from June 2008 to January 2010 and are expected to rise further to 9% within the period of January to December 2010. Despite this, the minimum wage for workers has not increased, with the last wage hike implemented two years back in June 2008.
“If wages will remain stagnant, then more workers will certainly slide to poverty and those who are in middle class will become the newly-poor,” he added.
Mendoza explained the labor group's request for a P75 wage hike: “Of the P75 minimum wage increase, P19 reflects the actual increase in prices from June 2008 to January 2010, P35 reflects the projected rise in CPI (Consumer Pice Index) from January 2010 to December 2010, and P21 indicates the 21 years that there had been no increases in the real wage since 1989.”
Calling the increase an “equity supplement” for workers, TUCP also petitioned that the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) be integrated into the daily wage. It also called for the amendment of Republic Act 6727 which created the regional wage boards that determine the amount for minimum wages.
“Regional wage boards must really be active in favor of workers so that our working people would not be left behind,” the petition read.
Lastly, the party-list sought the provision of an “emergency allowance” for workers to use during calamities and distress as well as an “unemployment insurance” in the case of retrenched workers which can help them get by while still searching for new employment.
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