Labor group seeks P5,000 wage subsidy

ORGANIZED labor called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to include the over 5 million minimum wage earners in the government’s cash-support program to ease the impact of the rising costs fueled by the Middle East conflict. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Thursday pressed the government to roll out a P5,000 subsidy for private sector employees, who it said are also suffering from rising fuel costs. It said that with Congress still failing to pass the long-delayed P200 legislated wage hike, urgent relief should be provided to minimum wage earners, similar to what the government is providing to the transportation sector. “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 said. It said that for more than three decades, minimum wage earners have been left behind by the regional wage-setting system established in 1989. It criticized the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for failing to hold consultations with labor groups and raised concern over the formation of the Palace’s Uplift (Urban Program for Livelihood Finance and Training) Committee without adequate worker representation. “For over thirty years, fair wages have not been given to the workers. Now, in the midst of a crisis, they are being neglected again. Not once were we consulted by DOLE, and the Uplift Committee was formed without a genuine voice from the ranks of the workers,” TUCP said. It made the call during the Senate Protect (Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy) Committee hearing, as the Department of Budget and Management confirmed P230 billion in available crisis funds. “The P5,000 subsidy costs just P25 billion — loose change compared to the P230 billion [for other sectors]. It can be done if there’s a political will,” TUCP said. It called on Malacañang to certify the P200 legislated wage hike as urgent to fast-track its passage. TUCP also called on the government to remove the excise taxes on petroleum products, implement price control on basis commodities, including diesel and gasoline, impose a moratorium on loan payments and lower interest from SSS, GSIS and Pag-IBIG.

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