Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Sen. Joel Villanueva asked the House of Representatives to adopt the P100 wage hike bill it passed in February 2024 in substitution for the P200 wage hike bill it recently approved.
Villanueva鈥檚 letter was addressed to his counterpart, House Committee on Labor and Employment Chairperson Rep. Juan Fidel Nograles.
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鈥淏oth Houses of Congress share the same intention to improve the quality of life of our workers and guarantee their fundamental right to fair wage. This is aligned with the Constitutional mandate to ensure a living wage for every Filipino family,鈥� said Villanueva in his letter.
He said the Senate is aware that there has been no increase in compensation since the passage of Republic Act No. 6727, or the Wage Rationalization Act, in 1989.
While he wants both chambers of Congress to pass important legislation like the P200 wage hike bill, Villanueva acknowledged the 鈥渢remendous impact of such monumental legislation on the economy.鈥�
鈥淭he joint position expresses strong reservations against the proposed increase in the daily minimum wage, citing potential adverse economic and social impacts, including increase in unemployment, increase in the prices of consumer goods, significant losses for businesses, downward pressure on the growth of our Gross Domestic Product in the long term, and further widening of regional disparities,鈥� he explained.
Villanueva, on Monday, likewise disclosed to reporters that the bicameral conferees from the lower chamber are amenable to adopting the Senate version of the bill.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he would carefully study the potential economic implications of the proposed P200 increase in the daily minimum wage for private sector workers to ensure that any decision strikes a balance between workers鈥� welfare and business sustainability.
鈥淲e will look at the economic implications of this and how to resolve this with the opinion of the wage boards, since the wage boards are also the creations of Congress,鈥� Marcos said.
Escudero: Senate has 鈥榥o interest adopting鈥� House version
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero said the Senate has no intention of adopting the House鈥檚 version of the bill, as they were not presented with any study supporting the P200 wage hike measure that was passed.
鈥淵esterday I told some members of the House, we formed a bicam, they told us they want to adopt the Senate version and I said go, adopt it. Thank you. We have no interest in adopting your bill because we have not seen any study on the P200 wage hike bill you passed,鈥� Escudero said n a press conference on Wednesday.
READ: House OKs P200 minimum wage hike on final reading
According to Escudero, he raised his concern to the bicam conferees from the lower chamber, questioning why they have become accustomed to submitting important documents on the last day of sessions.
鈥淚 also told them yesterday, is this going to be your practice? The articles of impeachment were sent to us on our last session day. And it happened again. Here you are again, rushing us to pass and adopt your measure as if it was our fault? We passed our own version of the bill in January or February 2024. They sat on this for a year, and then now they are rushing us?鈥� he said.
He added that he is not closing his doors to any bicam talks regarding the two measures, but he also emphasized that there is a proper process for such matters./mcm