A CEBU-BASED labor group has expressed support for the government’s move to increase employees’ compensation and is urging legislators to pass pending bills that aim to raise the daily minimum wage due to the rising cost of living.
Jaime Paglinawan of the Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno said on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, that government employees have the right to a “livable wage.”
“Nisuporta mi sa Courage (Confederation for Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees), hugpong ni sa mga employado nga naa sa gobyerno, ang ilahang panawagan karon kay ang pagkab-ot sa makabuhi nga suholan sa government employees, mapa-contractual pa na siya o mga regular,” Paglinawan said.
(We support Courage [Confederation for Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees], a group of employees in government, whose call now is to achieve a living wage for government employees, contractual or regular.)
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on Friday, Aug. 2, issued Executive Order (EO) 64, increasing the salaries of government workers and authorizing the grant of an additional allowance to state employees.
The updated salary applies to all civilian government personnel in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, constitutional commissions, and other constitutional offices, which will be implemented in four tranches starting Jan. 1, 2024, until Jan. 1, 2027.
The EO 64 has a retroactive clause which will be effective immediately on Jan. 1, 2024.
Employees under the government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) not covered by Republic Act 10149, or the “GOCC Governance Act of 2011” and EO 150 (s.2021), and the local government units (LGUs) are also covered by EO 64.
Qualified government employees will also receive a medical allowance of P7,000 per annum as a subsidy to avail health maintenance organization-type benefits.
“Aduna man gyud kapasidad ang atung gobyerno nga unahon niya og priority budget ang atung mga government employees. Tanawa ra gud ang ilahang gitagaan og dakung budget kay ang mga ala-pork barrel sa atung magbabalaud nga madunggan nato nga usa lang ka sa distrito kay binilyon na ang budget. Nganung dili man hatagan og budget ang mga government employees,” Paglinawan said.
(Our government has the capacity to prioritize budget for our government employees. Look at the big budget they gave because of the pork barrel of our legislators we hear for their district with the budget in billions. Why not give a budget to government employees.)
“Sila man gud ang maoy nag-trabaho sa nagkalain-laing function sa gobyerno, dapat sila mahatagan gyud sa makabuhing suholan,” he added.
(They are the ones who work in various government functions, they should be given a living wage.)
However, Paglinawan challenged the national government to pass the pending bill increasing the minimum wage of government workers to P33,000 per month amid the continuous spike in the prices of basic commodities in the country.
This is also on top of the pending bill for increasing the minimum monthly salary for public school teachers and public hospital nurses to P50,000, he added.
Wage increase
Paglinawan also challenged the legislators from the Senate and the House of Representatives to pass pending bills on increasing the daily minimum wage, even at a minimum of P150 across the board.
This is after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7 released the schedule for the series of public hearings to review the minimum wage in the region and make necessary adjustments.
The series of public hearings will start on Aug. 20, at DepEd Ecotech Center, Lahug, Cebu City; Aug. 28, at Balamban Municipal Hall, Balamban; Aug. 30, at Capitancillo Café and Restaurant, Bogo City; Sept. 3, Bethel Guest House, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; and Sept. 3, the MetroCentre Hotel and Convention Center, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
Paglinawan said that the RTWPB 7 has failed to satisfy the need of ordinary workers for a “livable wage” and has set the daily compensation at the minimum despite the constant increase in the prices of basic commodities.
He said that since the existence of the wage board about 35 years ago, it has only issued 24 wage orders in Central Visayas.
He added that the wage order has a mandate at least once a year or at times of supervening conditions to initiate wage adjustment.
“Pending karon sa mga magbabalaud ang mga house bill nga nagduso og P750 nga across the board wage increase ug naa pud pending nga P150 across the board wage increase. Didto pud sa senado napasar na ug nagpaabot nalang sa counter bill P100 nga increase sa minimum,” Paglinawan said.
(The house bills that pushed for a P750 across the board wage increase and the P150 across the board wage increase are currently pending before the lawmakers. It has already been passed in the Senate and we are just waiting for the counter bill, with P100 increase in the minimum.)
He challenged the legislators not to take advantage of the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, promising to pass these pending bills as he reiterated that the prices of basic commodities have kept on rising.
He added that, based on the studies of the Ibon Foundation, a family of five needs at least an average minimum wage of P12,000 to survive.
In Central Visayas, the minimum wage was P468, far from the required P473 for families under the poverty line and the P1,289 livable wage in the region, Paglinawan added.
On Sept. 5, 2023, the RTWPB 7 approved the P33 increase of the Central Visayas’ amended pay structure from P420 to P468, as the daily minimum wage for non-agricultural establishments classified as Class A.