The LRT-2 Araneta Center-Cubao station takes in passengers. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1738314784862lrt.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The LRT-2 Araneta Center-Cubao station takes in passengers. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner">The LRT-2 Araneta Center-Cubao station takes in passengers. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said a proposed P200 across-the-board daily wage hike for workers needs further study to see how it would affect small businesses and possibly drive prices higher.</p><p>This comes after the House Committee on Labor and Employment approved a measure that mandates “all employers in the private sector… regardless of capitalization and number of employees, to pay their workers an across-the-board wage increase of P200 a day.”</p><p>House Speaker Martin Romualdez — the President&#x27;s cousin — has indicated <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/1/29/house-may-push-for-p200-wage-hike-romualdez-1442">the House may push for the increase</a>. <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/2/12/house-econ-leaders-reject-legislated-wage-hike-proposal-1730"></a></p><p>House leaders last year thumbed down proposals for a legislated wage hike saying these would speed up inflation — the rate at which prices rise. They said business owners would simply pass on the cost of the higher wages to consumers by raising their prices.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/2/12/house-econ-leaders-reject-legislated-wage-hike-proposal-1730">House econ leaders reject Senate&#x27;s legislated wage hike proposal</a></div><p>Marcos said he acknowledges the need to help ordinary workers deal with inflation but that business owners have also raised concerns about the proposed increase.</p><p>“Pag tinaas ‘yung minimum wage, mababawasan ang kanilang empleyado kasi ganoon pa rin ‘yung pera nila. Hindi naman madadagdagan ‘yung pera na pambayad nila ng suweldo,” the President said.</p><p>(If you raise the minimum wage, they will have to let go of some employees because they would have the same amount of money. They will not get additional money for the increased wages)</p><p>Marcos Jr. said the proposed measure would affect micro, small and medium enterprises — the majority of businesses registered in the Philippines — the most.</p><div><strong>&#x27;WAGE INCREASES ARE UP TO WAGE BOARDS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Wages in the Philippines vary by region and sector, with workers in the National Capital Region being paid the most and those in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao paid the least.</p><p>The differences in daily wages are supposed to reflect lower costs of living outside Metro Manila and to encourage investment in these areas. Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards hear and decide on petitions for wage increases.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/1/30/house-panel-oks-bill-seeking-legislated-p200-across-the-board-daily-wage-hike-1721">House panel OKs bill seeking legislated P200 across-the-board daily wage hike<br/></a></div><p><strong></strong>“Well, the thing is we have a tripartite board that actually determines the increase in the wage. So, we have to still  — we still have to study it further to see how that will work together,&quot; he said.</p><p>“We will try to resolve that because, as you know, it’s very clear that tumataas ang bilihin, nandiyan pa rin ang inflation. Hindi pa natin nasusugpo nang mabuti — nang kumpleto (It&#x27;s very clear that prices are rising, we have not addressed it well — completely).&quot;</p><p>Aside from wage board orders and legislated hikes, workers can also push for higher wages through collective negotiation through unions and similar workers&#x27; associations.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dN96gUWOLXo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Marcos said he acknowledges the need to help workers deal with inflation but businesses are concerned about the proposed increase.</p>

Marcos said he acknowledges the need to help workers deal with inflation but businesses are concerned about the proposed increase.

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Marcos says P200 across-the-board wage hike needs further study

Marcos says P200 across-the-board wage hike needs further study

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 31, 2025 05:13 PM PHT

Read More:

Wage increase

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

House of Representatives

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