Labor demands ₱5,000 monthly wage subsidy for 5M workers as prices soar

MANILA, Philippines — Organized labor called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to include the over five million minimum wage earners in the government's cash-support program to ease the impact of the rising costs fueled by the ongoing Middle East conflict. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Thursday pressed the government to immediately roll out a P5,000 subsidy for private sector employees, saying that they are also suffering from the effects of rising fuel costs. It pointed out that with Congress still failing to act on the long-delayed ₱200 legislated wage hike, urgent relief should also be provided to minimum wage earners, similar to what the government is providing to the transportation sector. “Hindi puwedeng lahat tumataas—maliban sa sahod. Kung may fuel subsidy, dapat may wage subsidy. Hindi puwedeng pabayaan ang limang milyong manggagawa” (It cannot be that everything is increasing—except for wages. If there's a fuel subsidy, there should be a wage subsidy. We cannot abandon five million workers),” TUCP stressed. The labor group lamented that for more than three decades, minimum wage earners have been left behind by the regional wage-setting system established in 1989. It also criticized the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for failing to convene meaningful consultations with labor groups, and raised concern over the formation of the Palace’s UPLIFT Committee without adequate worker representation.

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