President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a review of minimum wage rates across the Philippines to address the impact of rising prices of goods and services. Various groups have been urging the government to increase the minimum wage to cope with the increasing cost of living.
In a Labor Day speech, Marcos directed the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) to conduct a comprehensive review of the minimum wage rates in their respective regions within 60 days before the anniversary of their latest wage order. He also called on the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) to reassess its rules to ensure a regular and predictable schedule for wage review, issuance, and implementation.
Currently, the minimum wage for non-agricultural workers in Metro Manila is set at P610 per day, while in the Bangsamoro region, it is only P361. The IBON Foundation proposed a P690 across-the-board wage hike to raise the average minimum wage of P440 nationwide to meet the current average family living wage of P1,207.
Workers from various sectors have voiced their concerns and staged protests, particularly against the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP), which aims to phase out old jeepneys from the roads. The IBON Foundation emphasized that a significant wage hike is necessary to address the longstanding issue of low wages compared to the profits generated by employers.
