More senators file 'priority bills' for 20th Congress

Senate of the Philippines at the GSIS Buidling in Pasay City. Jonathan  Cellona ABS-CBN News

MANILA — More senators have filed their priority bills for the 20th Congress.

Senator Risa Hontiveros proposed a P200 daily minimum wage Increase as one of her 10 priority bills.

National wages commission explains P50 wage hike

Hontiveros' office explained she filed this bill and nine others last Monday, namely: 

• Fair Wages and Productivity Act 

• Dagdag Sahod for Public Basic Education Teachers and Employees

• Anti-ENDO and Contracting Law

• Protektadong Online Workers, Entrepreneurs, Riders at Raketera Act

• Interns' Rights and Welfare Act

• Lingap Para kay Lolo at Lola Act

• 2025 Water Crisis Act

• Anti-Hospital Detention

• SOGIESC Equality Bill

The proposed divorce law will be in the next batch of priority legislation that Hontiveros' office will file next week.

Senator JV Ejercito has also filed a bill seeking a P250 across the board increase in the daily minimum wage of employees and workers in the private sector.

"The recent P50 wage hike implemented in the National Capital Region by the Marcos administration is commendable and a good start towards achieving living wage. However, across the Philippines, the daily minimum wage of workers falls short  of their financial needs," Ejercito said in his explanatory note.

House bill seeking minimum wage hike, absolute divorce filed in 20th Congress

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.

Ejercito similarly also filed a separate bill urging the suspension of excise taxes on regular gasoline, unleaded premium gasoline, and diesel.

These 2 are among the 10 priority measures Ejercito filed at the start of the 20th Congress.

The others are: Agri-Food Terminal and Trading Centers Act; Commuters’ Rights and Welfare Act; Lowering of PhilHealth Premium Contribution amending UHC Act; Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers; Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act; Motorcycle Taxi Act; Security of Tenure Act (Anti-ENDO); and the Supplemental Appropriations for FY 2025 of PhilHealth.

Separately, Senator Joel Villanueva has filed a bill setting a "living wage" criteria in the setting of minimum wage rates nationwide.

"We are pushing for the legislated wage increase, but I think the Living Wage Act will have a lasting impact because it will help regional wage boards set a decent minimum wage level within their respective jurisdictions,” Villanueva told reporters on Monday after filing his first set of bills for the incoming 20th Congress. 

Pro-worker bills among first filed at House for 20th Congress

“I want this bill to strengthen our regional wage boards and ensure they are using the right data and right parameters."

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa meantime laid down his own priority bills which include Death Penalty for large scale illegal drug trafficking; ROTC Act; Amendment to Party List System; ELCAC Act; Jail Integration Act; Rank Classification of BFP and BJMP; Anti-Drug Abuse Council Act; Amendment to Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022; Filipino Farmer Financial Assistance Program Act; and OFW Financial Literacy Act.

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