Nelson Morales

Construction workers on top of an unfinished building in Makati on August 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Paige Javier

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/17490303435221749030343125.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Construction workers on top of an unfinished building in Makati on August 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Construction workers on top of an unfinished building in Makati on August 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File </span></span></span>MANILA <strong>(3rd UPDATE)</strong> — The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to mandate a P200 hike in the daily wage of minimum wage workers in the private sector.</div><p>With 172 voting in the affirmative, zero in the negative and one abstention, the plenary approved House Bill No. 11376.</p><p>If signed into law, it will be the first legislated nationwide wage hike since the Wage Rationalization Act in 1989.  </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/1/house-urged-to-pass-p200-wage-hike-before-19th-congress-adjourns-1600">House urged to pass P200 wage hike before 19th Congress adjourns</a></div><p>TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza, who is among the principal authors of the bill, was very grateful that the bill was approved.</p><p>&quot;This time the manggagawang Pilipino, panalo,&quot; Mendoza said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LOWER THAN &#x27;LIVING WAGE&#x27;, BUT STILL A SIGNIFICANT STEP<br/></strong></div><p>Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, also a principal author of the measure, said she voted yes but had reservations since Gabriela Women&#x27;s Party has been pushing for a P750 wage increase based on the family living wage.  </p><p>Citing date from IBON Foundation, she said a family of five needs P1,225 as living wage, but the average wage in the country is P470.  </p><p>&quot;This means the current average wage in the country is glaringly insufficient for families to sustain and afford adequate food, shelter and other basic necessities, while still being able to have savingsy,&quot; she said.  </p><p>Despite this, Brosas lauded the historic passage of the measure by the lower chamber, saying &quot;now is the time to finally break the long years of legislative inaction.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/29/-family-living-wage-pushed-to-address-rising-cost-of-basic-goods-ofw-deployment-1926">&#x27;Family living wage&#x27; pushed to address rising cost of basic goods, OFW deployment</a></div><p>She said that while the P200 increase is not enough, passage of the bill is still a significant step in the struggle for higher wages.</p><p>Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, another principal author, voted yes with reservations because, he said, the increase is far from enough.</p><p>&quot;We call on our fellow members of the House to continue supporting this P200 wage increase until it is enacted into law,&quot; he said, adding Kabataan party-list will continue campaigning for a higher increase.</p><p>Labor groups earlier pressed the House to pass the P200 wage hike bill before 19th Congress adjourns on June 13. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SENATE WELCOMES APPROVAL</strong></div><p><strong></strong>The Senate has previously approved its version which proposes a P100 daily minimum wage hike. </p><p>Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, an author of Senate Bill 2534, thanked their counterparts in the lower house.</p><p>&quot;Being the author of the 100 pesos per day in the Senate, I would always err on the side of the workers because at this particular time kailangan talaga ng ating mga manggagawa ng tulong pinansiyal. Hindi lang ayuda kasi nagta-trabaho sila,&quot; he said. </p><div><strong></strong></div><p>&quot;So I would like to urge my colleagues in the Senate if they just want to adopt it, so be it. Let us adopt. But if they plan to do some amendments and we will come up with a bicam, I also urge my colleagues and the Senate President to come up with a bicam as soon as possible para ma-tackle pa ito the next three days before we end sine die,&quot; he added.</p><p>Senator Joel Villanueva said he is amenable to adopting the House version but warned that this could put President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in a bind. </p><p>&quot;I can try to influence my colleagues na i-adopt natin sa House and give it to the President,&quot; Villanueva said. &quot;But part of me is saying alam natin na kapag inadopt mo parang nag-succumb ka na na wala na, wala na tayong increase, yung daily wage increase.&quot;</p><p>Villanueva believes the P100 daily minimum wage increase is the &quot;most convenient and practical.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MARCOS JR. URGED TO SIGN BILL INTO LAW</strong></div><p>In a statement, labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno said the passage of the bill &quot;is the result of the continuous demand of workers for a living wage.&quot;</p><p>It said that the need for a legislated wage hike &quot;underscores the utter failure and inutility&quot; of wage boards that set minimum wages per region.</p><p>KMU and other labor groups have been calling for a national minimum wage, saying costs are the same across regions.</p><p>KMU also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign the bill once transmitted to his office, saying a veto would &quot;expose&quot; the government as being &quot;anti-worker.&quot;</p><p>Partido Manggagawa, in a statement, said workers cannot celebrate yet because there may not be enough time for a bicameral conference committee to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill.</p><p>&quot;Subalit kung talagang gugustuhin ng Palasyo at Kongreso, walang imposible. Kahit nga ang impeachment ni Sara Duterte ay kakayanin pa,&quot; PM president Renato Magtubo said.</p><p>(But if the Palace and Congress really want it, nothing is impossible. Even Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial can still happen.) </p><p>Employers&#x27; groups have cautioned against wage hikes, saying companies may have to let people go to cut labor costs.</p><p>They also said higher wages would lead to increased prices because the extra cost will be passed on to consumers to ensure profits. -- <strong>with a report from Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News</strong></p>

<p>The bill was approved with 171 lawmakers voting in the affirmative, one against, and no abstentions.</p>

The bill was approved with 171 lawmakers voting in the affirmative, one against, and no abstentions.

House OKs bill for P200 hike in daily wage on third and final reading

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House OKs bill for P200 hike in daily wage on third and final reading

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 04, 2025 05:51 PM PHT

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Updated June 05, 2025 02:18 PM PHT

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