Jonathan Frederic De Santos

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

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Senators took up the cudgels for workers struggling with the current economic crisis as they called on Labor Day for more government interventions for them.Citing the rising cost of living after US and Israel attacks on Iran drove fuel prices up, Sen. Francis Pangilinan pressed for a wage hike, which he said would not be charity but justice for workers.&quot;Hindi naman hinihingi ang higit sa nararapat. Yung sakto lang para sa pangangailangan — sakto na makatao at makatarungang bahagi sa halagang nilikha ng dugo’t pawis ng Pilipino.&quot;<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/28/labor-groups-ask-gov-t-for-wage-hike-amid-middle-east-conflict-1732">‘Wag kami i-ghost’: Labor groups ask gov’t for wage increase, show leadership amid Middle East conflict </a></div>Sen. Joel Villanueva, a former chair of the Senate labor committee, said he wants aid like the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers cash-for-work program and the Special Program for Employment of Students for poor youth expanded.&quot;Doblehin ang bilang ng mga benepisyaryo at gawing mas makabuluhan ang mga proyektong ito—kabilang na ang community vegetable farming upang makatulong sa seguridad sa pagkain ng bawat pamilya,&quot; he said.Villanueva also wants wage subsidies for small businesses to help them stay open and to preserve jobs.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2026/4/28/bato-considering-forgoing-salaries-allowances-ejercito-1345">Dela Rosa considering forgoing salaries, allowances — Ejercito </a></div>Sen. Jinggoy Estrada shared the same sentiment, saying aid and subsidies would help workers and employers through the current crisis.Estrada also highlighted the sacrifices of laborers: &quot;Pasan nila ang patuloy na pagtaas ng gastusin sa araw-araw—mula sa transportasyon, pagkain, at iba pang pangunahing pangangailangan—ngunit nananatili silang matatag at patuloy na lumalaban upang maitawid ang kanilang kabuhayan.&quot;<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/30/dole-offers-190-000-jobs-in-labor-day-fairs-amid-middle-east-crisis-1549">DOLE offers 190,000 jobs in Labor Day fairs amid Middle East crisis</a></div>Sen. Bam Aquino meanwhile recognized the contributions of the working and middle-income classes, who he said comprise 80% of Filipinos.Aquino reiterated his proposal to suspend the collection of excise taxes on diesel and gasoline, as well as reduce the value-added tax (VAT) on goods and services to 10 percent from 12 percent.Speaking in Lipa, Batangas, Sen. Risa Hontiveros stressed that beyond wage hikes, the government must provide better services to the public to ease the economic burden on all Filipinos.“Magkukulang at magkukulang ang sahod ng mga manggagawa kahit ilang beses pa iyan taasan kung kasabay nito ang pagtaas rin ng presyo ng pagkain at pamasahe,” Hontiveros also batted for transferring funds to the Department of Transportation for the PUV service contracting program.“Mayroong P30 billion ang DSWD para sa AICS na sa tingin ko ay dapat ibigay na lang sa DOTr para sa service contracting. Sa ganitong paraan, makakasiguro ang mga driver ng mga bus at jeep na may kikitain sila at magtutuloy-tuloy ang kanilang pamamasada,” she said.Hontiveros is also working to get a P52.8-billion supplemental budget passed. That would include a P12-billion subsidy for PUV drivers, Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers, and delivery riders and that would partly fund an expanded service contracting program.Meanwhile, there are several pending bills in the Senate proposing various amounts of wage increases, ranging from 100 to 300 peso increase in the daily minimum wage.The Senate and House in the 19th Congress approved legislated wage hike bills in 2025 but the chambers <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">failed to agree on how much the increase should be</a>.Senators in the 20th Congress have since filed bills to raise the minimum daily wage, which varies between regions, by between P100 and P300. Apart from legislated wage hikes, workers can push for higher pay through petitions at regional wage boards or through collective bargaining by their unions.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/22/dimsum-workers-secure-wage-hike-share-of-service-charge-after-6-day-strike-1526">Dimsum workers secure wage hike, share of service charge after 6-day strike</a></div>

Senators took up the cudgels for workers struggling with the current economic crisis as they called on Labor Day for more government interventions for them.

Senators took up the cudgels for workers struggling with the current economic crisis as they called on Labor Day for more government interventions for them.

Senators call for wage hike, expanded aid programs for workers

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Senators call for wage hike, expanded aid programs for workers

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 01, 2026 12:44 PM PHT

|

Updated May 01, 2026 01:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Workers

Labor Day

Francis Pangilinan

Joel Villanueva

Jinggoy Estrada

Bam Aquino

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