The Philippines unions calls to raise workers’ minimum wages

25 April 2024, Manila, Philippines. – The National Wage Coalition composed of BMP, KMU, NAGKAISA, and TUCP, alongside various other workers’ organizations and public sector unions, held a Press Conference today billed “Dagdag Sahod Isabatas! 150 Pataas!” at the Max’s Restaurant along Maria Orosa Street in Manila, to urge President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to certify the legislated wage hike as urgent and the Legislature (House of Representatives and Senate) to pass into law a wage increase equivalent to no less that 150 pesos per day as wage recovery increase for the private sector and 33,000 minimum monthly wage for public sector workers or the full implementation of the Salary Standardization Law 6. They collectively proposed that Congress should urgently raise workers’ minimum wages as well as review and reform the country’s minimum wage-setting mechanism.

In the Philippines, approximately 4.2 million minimum wage earners cannot ensure their decent life or even feed their families nutritious meals. Most minimum wages fall below the government-set poverty threshold, condemning millions of wage earners who do honest work for a living to a life of poverty.

This was the call of the Coalition on the ever-rising cost of living which they say amounts to around 1,200 pesos per day versus the current minimum wage of just 610 pesos. It is imperative to address the disparity between minimum wage and a living wage.

The Coalition also briefed the media about their plan to hold a mobilization rally on Labor Day, May 1, 2024, which will assemble along Espaňa Street in Manila and culminate at the traditional rally hub in Mendiola Street right in front of the Office of the Philippine President or the Malacaňang Palace.

Public Services International (PSI) is strongly supporting trade union rights issues including the call increasing the wages of workers through social dialogue.

Present during the Press Conference were members of the media most notably from renowned TV stations ABS-CBN, GMA-7, and UNTV.