P125 wage hike approved

THE sub–committee of the House of Representatives’ Committee of Labor and Employment in Luzon approved House Bill (HB) 375 on Friday.

If approved by Congress, the bill will be known as an act that provides for a P125 daily across–the–board increase in the salary rates of employees and workers in the private sector.

The bill was introduced by Anak Pawis party-list Representative Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano. It was co–authored by Bayan Muna party-list representatives Teodoro Casiño and Neri Javier Colmenares; Gabriela party-list representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerenciana De Jesus; Kabataan party-list Representative Raymond Palatino; and Act Teachers’ party-list Representative Antonio Tinio.

The sub–committee in Luzon chaired by Beguet Representative Ronald Cosalan conducted a public hearing Friday at the Strawberry Valley Hotel, La Trinidad.

Most of the groups, agencies, and officials expressed their support for the bill prompting Representative Emil Ong, chairman of the Congress Committee on Labor and Employment, to move for the bill’s approval.

Due to the absence of any objection to the move, the body then approved the bill on its sub–committee level.

The next stage will be a discussion under the Congressional Committee on Labor and Employment chaired by Ong.

Most of the employees’ union representatives and officials in Luzon claimed the increase is what they really need now in order to cope with the increasing prices of commodities. They added that the current wage of the private workers could not sustain and address the needs of the family especially with the worsening poverty situation of Cordillerans.

They also questioned the statement of the Aquino administration on the alleged growth of the economy in the country; they said if this is true, then let the workers benefit from it because in the first place, it is their (workers’) hard work which is making the country’s economy grow.

Among the groups who are pushing for the passage of the bill are the Kilusang Mayo Uno; PISTON; Koalisyon ng Progresibong Manggagawa at Mamamayan; Hongkong Bank Independent Labor Union; local government units of Sablan, Bokod, Tublay and La Trinidad; Saint Luis University Union of Faculty and Employees; University of the Cordilleras Kapatiran Union; Baguio–Balatoc Miners Association; Federation of Free Workers; and the local officials of Benguet.