Filipino workers are not entitled to wage increases despite the huge profits amassed by corporations and the plutocrats included in the list of Forbes billionaires while studies by the independent Ibon Foundation and other research groups found out that for the decent living wage should be P1,193, a far cry from the P505.32 wage in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the P100 wage increase for the private sector approved by the Senate.
The last legislated national wage increase in the Philippines was in 1989, when the Wage Rationalization Act raised the minimum wage by P25, or 35 years ago. Meanwhile, Trading Economics app, which carries macroeconomic statistics covering 232 countries, claims the Philippine minimum wage would rise to P610 within the year, or P583 less than the living wage of P1,193 necessary for a family of five to live decently, Ibon Foundation says. For the foundation, the minimum wage should be ₱25,946 a month.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) had earlier declared that no pay hike will be announced on Labor Day, consistent with the posturing of the Marcos Jr. administration that it would lure foreign direct investments (FDIs), which may or may not include dark money, blood money or even the ethically-inclined sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) like the one managed by Nicolai Tangen of Norway. DOLE, ever the bird of ill-omen, will always sacrifice the interest of the working class in order to prettify capital and lavish it with incentives to further exploit labor, lengthening working hours and extracting higher productivity while dispensing with standard labor and safety conditions.
Instead of a pay increase, protesting workers were doused with water by the police as they marched to protest before the US Embassy on May Day, their streamers calling for a P150 legislated wage increase targeted by policemen doubling as firefighters as the heat wave scorches the NCR. Protesters pressed on with their action as the police shoved them, making sure that Filipino workers are not satisfied with slave wages while the prices of basic commodities like rice, meat and fish soar, power and water tariffs increase to bring superprofits to Manila Water and Maynilad, Meralco and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), along with the Villar family’s Prime Water. This family controls 67 water districts in the country, all of which are, by law, supposed to be owned and managed by direct consumers.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), together with Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), and NAGKAISA labor coalition, the Partido Manggagawa, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLIC), and Public Services International (PSI) held a press briefing on April 25 to drum up support for their call “Dagdag Sahod, Isabatas! ₱150 Pataas!” and called for a legislated wage increase, noting the ineffectiveness of the current wage-setting mechanism by the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs.)
KMU pointed out that from 1965 to 2021, the real value of wages has failed to keep up with the rising prices of goods and services. KMU also asserted that Regional Wage Boards (RWBs) have not only failed to raise the value of real wages but even caused wage depression in many cases. “Due to the inefficiency of the RWBs in raising minimum wages to allow workers to afford a decent living, the majority of Filipino workers are forced to live below the poverty threshold. Poverty has been the norm the government forced upon workers for the past 35 years,” said KMU Chairperson Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog. KMU reiterated the urgent need to raise wages, and the necessity to pursue a significant wage increase through other avenues, particularly through legislation.
“It is time for Congress to do its job, and legislate a significant wage increase towards attaining a family living wage for all workers. In the 1987 Philippine Constitution, it is clearly stated that every Filipino has the right to a living wage – a right that we have always been deprived of. Congress must act in accordance with the Constitution, instead of preoccupying itself with changing it,” Labog argued.
KMU also demanded Marcos to certify wage increases as priority bills if he were truly sincere in celebrating Labor Day. “Marcos, wake up and see the truth: The Filipino people and workers are displeased and enraged by your self-aggrandizing schemes. Perform your obligation to the workers, and command Congress to pass legislated wage hikes. We will not be dazzled by your smoke and mirrors,” Labog declared.