AMID the soaring prices of fuel and other basic commodities, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is calling on the Philippine government to consider giving subsidy to minimum wage earners.
In a statement, the TUCP urged the government to provide P5,000 monthly wage subsidy for over five million minimum wage earners nationwide.
"If there is a fuel subsidy for the transportation sector, there should also be a wage subsidy for our more than five million minimum wage earners," said TUCP.
"There is no reason for the government to keep depriving workers of this urgent relief," it added.
The labor group said the wage subsidy is the next best thing the government can do since it has continuously refused to pass the proposed P200 legislated wage hike.
"The House of Representatives and the Senate have yet to convene a special session to discuss and pass the proposed P200 legislated wage hike," said TUCP.
Currently, the national government is providing fuel subsidy to tens of thousands of drivers and operators of different public utility vehicles (PUV).
This comes amid the skyrocketing prices of fuel as well as basic commodities and services due to the crisis in the Middle East. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)