Cheyenne Suarez

Labor groups ask gov’t for wage hike amid Middle East conflict

In a pre-Labor Day event, students and youth volunteers from the Akbayan Partylist staged a protest and solidarity walk along University Avenue in UP Diliman, Quezon City, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. The youth group called for decent jobs, higher wages, and an end to contractualization, urging lawmakers to pass the proposed ₱200 across-the-board minimum wage hike and the Anti-Endo Law to protect workers’ rights. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div> </div>MANILA – Labor groups on Tuesday renewed calls for the government to raise wages and show stronger leadership amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.During a press conference, organizers said at least 35,000 workers are set to take part in protest actions across Metro Manila and other parts of the Philippines on Labor Day, to press for lower prices of basic goods and accountability for corruption.Labor leaders said the proposed P200 legislated wage hike would only amount to “wage recovery” and would still fall short of addressing the economic and other issues brought about by the Middle East conflict.“Lahat ng minimum wage sa buong Pilipinas ay below the poverty threshold. Pag pinatungan mo siya ng P200, almost a number of regional wages would get to the level na above poverty threshold,” said Joshua Mata, secretary-general of Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro).Sonny Matula of Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, for his part, said the wage increase is necessary and must be given by the government at this point to support struggling workers.“Kailangan nang ibigay…Kulang pa nga yan,” said Matula.“Yung pagtaas ng sahod, sinasabi namin na makakatulong ’yan para sa krisis ngayon, para may pera ang manggagawa,” he added.Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Secretary-General Jerome Adonis described President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s economic managers as people who are “deaf and blind” in the current plight of Filipino workers.Meanwhile, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Spokesperson Carlos Miguel Oñate said they would continue to fight for the proposed P200 legislated wage hike.“Mismong DOLE na ang nagsabi, wala tayong aasahang umento kung walang ipapasang batas ang kongreso,” Oñate said.<div>&#x27;ABSENT&#x27; LABOR CHIEF?</div>Labor group leaders also raised the issue of the alleged &quot;absence&quot; of Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma. Mata described Laguesma’s leadership as “the worst” in the labor sector.“Hindi sapat na magpalit lang ng labor secretary, at long overdue na yan. Maraming matitino sa Department of Labor na [napilitang] umalis dahil sa kaawalan ng liderato sa DOLE,” he added.For Laya Ferrer, an officer from the Associated Labour Unions (ALU-TUCP), it was time that the administration showed concrete solutions to the plight of workers and not “ghost” them at the time of need.“Wag niyo naman kami i-ghost at iparamdam niyo na nandyan kayo para sa amin. Diinan at lalong diinan pa…na kailangan na isabatas yung ating P200 wage increase at bawasan ang tax,” said Ferrer.Lawyer Luke Espiritu of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino said it was also equally important that the government hold corrupt officials accountable on the flood control anomalies, and urge them to return stolen public funds.“Obligado nating ipanawagan at igiit na arestuhin ang mga korap. Dito sa Pilipinas, matindi ang survival rate ng mga kurakot,” Espiritu said.Labor group leaders hoped the Marcos administration would also hold dialogues with them and not only with private sector leaders.ABS-CBN News sought the comment of DOLE on the labor leaders’ concerns on Laguesma’s whereabouts, but they have yet to respond as of this story’s posting.

Labor groups called on the government to raise wages and show stronger leadership amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Labor groups called on the government to raise wages and show stronger leadership amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

‘Wag kami i-ghost’: Labor groups ask gov’t for wage increase, show leadership amid Middle East conflict

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‘Wag kami i-ghost’: Labor groups ask gov’t for wage increase, show leadership amid Middle East conflict

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 28, 2026 05:32 PM PHT

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