Jonathan Frederic De Santos

A vendor transacts with a customer inside the Pasig City Mega Market on July 5, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Sen. JV Ejercito has filed a  bill seeking a P250 increase in the daily minimum wage of employees and workers in the private sector — higher than the P100 approved by the Senate and even the P200 approved by the House in the 19th Congress.</p><p>The wage hike bills failed to make it through Congress amid <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/15/wrap-why-workers-blame-marcos-jr-for-congress-failed-wage-hike-bills-1630">ambivalence from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and opposition from his economic managers</a> and from employers.</p><p>Ejercito said a P50 hike approved for workers in Metro Manila is commendable but noted that &quot;across the Philippines, the daily minimum wage of workers falls short of their financial needs.&quot;</p><p>He said minimum wage earners are not making enough to meet their families&#x27; needs and that higher oil prices because of tension in the Middle East have &quot;created a domino effect in the increase in prices of basic commodities.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/30/what-can-the-p50-wage-hike-buy-1908"><strong>What can the P50 wage hike buy?<br/></strong></a></div><p>Ejercito explained that his bill seeks to bridge the gap to the decreasing purchase value of the take home pay of a worker and the rising cost of living.</p><p>Workers have been calling for a &quot;livable&quot; wage of P1,200 a day, saying that amount would let workers meet their basic needs and leave them some money for leisure or for savings.</p><p>Employers and the government&#x27;s economic managers have warned that raising wages will just lead to higher prices as businesses pass on labor costs to consumers.</p><div><strong>SUSPENSION OF EXCISE TAXES WHEN FUEL PRICES ARE HIGH</strong></div><p>The senator has filed a separate bill to allow the suspension of excise taxes on fuel products when the average price of Dubai crude oil on the Mean of Platts Singapore reaches or exceeds $80 per barrel.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/30/oil-prices-fall-after-massive-hike-0929"><strong>Oil prices fall after massive hike<br/></strong></a></div><p>&quot;By establishing a clear and automatic trigger, this measure provides timely and predictable relief in times of extraordinary fuel price surges,&quot; he said of the bill, which he also called a &quot;crucial step&quot; in easing the burden of oil price hikes on households.</p><p>The two are among the 10 priority measures that Ejercito filed at the start of the 20th Congress.</p><p>His other priority bills are:</p><p>• Agri-Food Terminal and Trading Centers Act</p><p>• Commuters’ Rights and Welfare Act</p><p>• Lowering of PhilHealth Premium Contribution, amending the Universal Health Care Act</p><p>• Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers</p><p>• Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act, Motorcycle Taxi Act</p><p>• Security of Tenure Act (Anti-ENDO)</p><p>• Supplemental Appropriations for FY 2025 (PHILHEALTH)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><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/LurM6dm4dQM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Ejercito said a P50 hike approved for workers in Metro Manila is commendable but noted that "across the Philippines, the daily minimum wage of workers falls short of their financial needs."</p>

Ejercito said a P50 hike approved for workers in Metro Manila is commendable but noted that "across the Philippines, the daily minimum wage of workers falls short of their financial needs."

Ejercito files bills for P250 wage hike, oil price hike relief

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Ejercito files bills for P250 wage hike, oil price hike relief

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 03, 2025 12:43 PM PHT

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JV Ejercito

wage hike

excise taxes

oil prices

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