Marilyn Cahatol

Members of labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), is blocked by the QCPD as they try to march to the south gate of the House of Representatives, on the first day of the resumption of hearings on wage increase bills, February 28, 2024.  The group calls on the urgent legislation of wage increase as the Congress Committee on Labor and Employment hearing begins. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The National Wage Coalition — an alliance of labor and workers&#x27; groups — said it will picket the House of Representatives on Monday morning, June 2, to call for the immediate passage of the P200 wage hike on third and final reading before the 19th Congress adjourns on June 13.</p><p>“The ball is now in the House as the Senate passed its version as early as February last year,” said Sonny Matula, NWC convenor.</p><p>NWC comprises the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, and the Federation of Free Workers.</p><p>The House Committee on Labor and Employment approved a substitute bill mandating a P200 across-the-board legislated wage hike in January.</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</a></div><p>The bill will require all private employers increase daily salaries by P200 regardless of capitalization and number of employees.</p><p>Wage hikes by Tripartite Regional Wage Boards allow exemptions for small businesses. </p><p>Matula underscored that the bills should be approved before the 19th Congress adjourns in two weeks. Failure to do that would mean restarting from scratch when the 20th Congress convenes on July 28. </p><p>“With only six session days left this June, this is the moment of truth for the 19th Congress,&quot; Matula, also president of the Federation of Free Workers, said.</p><p>“Non-passage would be a step backward, moving us further away from achieving a living wage—a right guaranteed by the Constitution but still unrealized nearly four decades since its ratification,” he added.</p><div><strong>FIRST LEGISLATED HIKE SINCE 1989</strong></div><p>If enacted, this will be the first legislated nationwide wage increase since the Wage Rationalization Act in 1989, increasing the private sector’s minimum wage hike by P25.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/4/2/wage-hike-up-to-regional-wage-boards-palace-says-as-tucp-bats-for-p200-hike-1450">Wage hike up to regional wage boards, Palace says as TUCP bats for P200 hike</a></div><p>Labor groups and progressive government officials argue the minimum wage must match the living wage at P1,200 to allow workers to achieve basic rights.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/3/25/senate-bet-pushes-for-p1-200-daily-min-wage-calls-out-businessmen-s-bluff-1714">Senate bet pushes for P1,200 daily min wage; calls out businessmen’s &#x27;bluff&#x27;</a></div><p>The business sector, meanwhile, opposes the proposed wage hikes saying it would lead to job losses.</p><p>They also said the move would be inflationary since they will have to make up the cost of higher wages by raising prices.</p><p>Labor groups refuted this, saying that higher wage will give workers more purchasing power, generating more income for businesses.   </p><p>Rizal 4th District Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles, House labor panel chair, earlier said that the bill could be refined to exempt micro, small and medium enterprises from the mandated wage hike. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DhIigo64tX4?si=Cafp-X9IWqbk_qGK" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>“The ball is now in the House as the Senate passed its version as early as February last year,” said Sonny Matula, National Wage Coalition convenor.</p>

“The ball is now in the House as the Senate passed its version as early as February last year,” said Sonny Matula, National Wage Coalition convenor.

House urged to pass P200 wage hike before 19th Congress adjourns

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House urged to pass P200 wage hike before 19th Congress adjourns

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 01, 2025 04:00 PM PHT

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Wage hike

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