By Shayne Elizabeth T. Flores

In light of the nonpassage of the P200 wage hike bill, labor groups stood firm in pushing for the P1,200 living wage once the 20th Congress commences on July 28.

In an interview with FEU Advocate, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Secretary-General Jerome Adonis said that they will continue to demand a wage that is proportional to workers’ needs and market prices.

“Ayon sa IBON Foundation, P1,200 ngayon ‘yan [living wage], so basically ayan ang ifa-file namin. Siyempre, may mga other groups na magfa-file din ng any amount, pero kami ‘yan ang ifa-file namin para [kapag] nagkaroon ng mga hearing, diyan kami makikipag-debate,” he stated.

In the event that the proposed amount would be compromised, Adonis said that they would accept it but would continue pushing for their constitutional and labor rights.

While details have yet to be established, he said that they plan on coordinating with Makabayan Bloc’s Kabataan or ACT Teachers Party-list representatives in pushing for the bill in the Congress.

Last June 11, the 19th Congress adjourned its session without ratifying the wage hike bill, losing its chance of being forwarded to President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. for his signature.

Initially, the House of Representatives approved a P200 across-the-board minimum wage hike for private sector workers under House Bill No. 11376 last June 4. Meanwhile, the Senate had passed Senate Bill 2534 proposing a P100 increase last year.

However, both chambers failed to reach an agreement on the amount in the end, with neither of the two conceding to the other's proposal nor presenting a bicameral conference committee report.

In a statement, House of Representatives Spokesperson Princess Abante pinpointed the wage hike bill’s death on the Senate’s aversion to deliberate, allegedly insisting on the P100 increase rather than P200.

Hitting back on the criticism, the Senate claimed that the bill’s setback is due to the House’s failure to act on the measure earlier, as they only transmitted the required third copy of the P200 version on the last day of the session.

Meanwhile, in an indignation rally during the 127th Independence Day commemoration last June 12, Adonis asserted that it was President Bongbong Marcos Jr. himself who did not want to increase the workers’ minimum wage. 

“Hindi pa nata-transmit ng Kongreso ang P200 na pinasa nila sa Senado, lumabas na po ang pahayag ng Malacañang, Office of the President mismo kasama ang buong economic cluster. Simple ang nilalaman ng kanilang pahayag—ayaw ng gobyerno ni Bongbong Marcos sa dagdag-sahod,” he claimed in his speech.

Last June 5, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro shared the President’s plan to study the P200 wage hike’s economic implications, underlining his intention to “provide what is fair and most beneficial for Filipino workers.”

Meanwhile, the Marcos administration’s economic managers issued a statement opposing the hike last June 11, warning of its consequences such as inflation and setbacks on small businesses.

Noting the modesty the P200 demanded by workers, Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas voiced her dismay with big corporations being favored by the outcome of the wage increase bill. 

“Napakaliit na nga lang ng kahilingan na ‘yun, pumabor pa sa mga negosyante… Hindi mabigyan ng dagdag-sahod ang mga manggagawa pero nagbibigay ng mga tax incentives para sa mga korporasyon, para sa mga kompanya, at lalong yumayaman ang mga bilyonaryo,” Brosas said in her speech.

Moreover, the KMU Secretary-General expressed regret over the potential progress the wage hike bill could have contributed in gradually achieving the ideal living wage of P1,200.

He also claimed that the wage hike bill’s failure is a testament to the government’s unwillingness to improve citizens’ lives, boiling down to the masses to fight for their own rights.

“Wala na tayong maaasahan sa gobyernong ‘to, na sila pa ang magkusa para madagdagan ang sahod ng mga manggagawa. Ito po ay nakabatay sa ating lakas at pagkakaisa para sa dagdag na sahod (We can’t expect anything from this government, that they will take initiative to increase workers’ wages. It depends on our strength and unity to fight for salary increase),” he stated.

Furthermore, reflecting on the current state of the country’s sovereignty, Adonis argued that the issue is also a result of the continued U.S. imperialism in the Philippines. 

“‘Yung politika natin sa bansa ay fully controlled ng U.S… Kaya makikita natin ang mga isinasagawang batas sa Kongreso at Senado ay hindi direktang tumutugon sa tunay na pangangailangan ng mga mamamayang hirap na hirap sa kasalukuyan,” he claimed.

As the opening of the 20th Congress looms, Adonis stated that they will study the bill again in preparation for its refiling.

Meanwhile, other Congress members have also vowed to refile the wage hike bill, including Kabataan Partylist, Akbayan Partylist, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri who spearheaded the passage of the P100 increase during his term as senate president.

(Photo by Aleena Louise Abad/FEU Advocate)