Wednesday, January 24, 2007 Palace hits senator for ‘tying’ wage issue to Arroyo
MALACANANG on Tuesday lashed at Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada for trying to put President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the spot by endorsing the approval of the bill giving a P125 across-the-board wage hike for workers in the private sector.
Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio said Estrada’s remark that “it’s Gloria’s problem” if she wants to veto the bill is an admission that the approval of the bill by the Senate labor committee, which Estrada chairs, is “simply politically motivated.”
“He just wants to put the President on the spot,” Claudio added.
He said since politics is the only consideration, there seems to be “very little regard” for the consequences of the bill on the country’s economy as businessmen have warned.
He told Estrada that legislation is “very serious business”, where lawmakers should have “more constructive motive than just scoring cheap political
points.”
The bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives before the Christmas break, provided for a P125 wage hike that would be staggered in three years. Estrada wants the increase to take effect beginning January 1 this year but the House of Representatives labor committee wants the measure to be retroactive to October 2006.
Labor Secretary Arturo Brion has reportedly asked President Arroyo to veto the bill.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in a radio interview that Malacañang has been studying the matter ever since the issue was brought up last month. He said the concerns of both and labor and employers’ sectors are being considered.
Ermita said the regional wage boards are still around to balance the wage-fixing in each of the country’s regions. (JMR/Sunnex)
