WITH public trust in the administration at a historic low, organized labor is pressing both Malacañang and Congress to prioritize a legislated P200 daily wage hike, saying that economic relief is the only way to restore worker confidence.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) made the appeal on Monday ahead of the June 30 hearing of House Bill (HB) 88 before the House Committee on Labor and Employment.
HB 88 seeks to grant workers a P200 across-the-board increase in the daily minimum wage.
The bill is returning to the legislative agenda a year after it was refiled, despite having already secured third and final reading approval in the House during the 19th Congress.
The TUCP, the largest labor center in the country, said the government’s efforts to rebuild public trust should begin by addressing the economy.
It criticized the current wage-setting system, arguing that regional wage boards continue to grant small and staggered increases that fail to keep pace with rising living costs.
It also questioned a process in which public consultations are conducted, but final wage determinations are made behind closed doors.
The group called on the president to certify HB 88 as urgent and direct economic managers to support the proposed legislation.
TUCP urged Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino to engage with labor groups and commit to implementing the measure once enacted.
The latest Social Weather Stations survey conducted from March 24 to 31 showed the Marcos administration posting a net satisfaction rating of -13, its lowest since taking office in 2022 and the lowest recorded by any administration since 2010.
The TUCP noted that both the Senate and the House had approved legislated wage hike measures in the previous Congress, and that House rules allow priority bills previously approved on third reading to be fast-tracked.
