SENATE PRIB PHOTO
Naniniwala si Senator Raffy Tulfo na mapapagbuti ang kalidad ng pamumuhay ng mga manggagawa kung maayos ang mga polisiya para sa pagbibigay umento sa daily wage earners.
Inihain ni Tulfo ang Senate Resolution No. 476 para mabusisi sa Senado ang mga polisiya sa pagbibigay ‘minimum wage hike.’
Ipinunto ng senador na bagamat nagkaroon ng umento sa minimum wage noong nakaraang taon, halos hindi ito naramdaman ng mga mangagawa dahil sa pagtaas ng pasahe at halaga ng mga pangunahing bilihin at serbisyo.
Naniniwala aniya siya na kapag napagbuti ang uri ng pamumuhay ng mga manggagawa ay uunlad din ang ekonomiya ng bansa.
Sa huling taas-sahod noong nakaraang Hunyo, P533 hanggang P570 ang minimum wage sa Metro Manila, samantalang P306 hanggang P470 naman sa mga probinsiya.
Ilang grupo ng mga manggagawa ang humirit na ng bagong taas-suweldo ng ‘daily wage earners’ hindi lamang sa Metro Manila kundi sa buong bansa.
filed a Senate Resolution (SR) seeking to review existing policies on the minimum wage increases to improve the standard of living and quality of life of workers, particularly those in the lower income bracket.
In filing SR No. 476, Tulfo stressed that while there was a minimum wage increase last year, it will not be able to sustain the living conditions of workers considering that many of them are facing financial difficulties brought about by rising inflation.
He maintained that the minimum wage serves as a critical tool for ensuring that workers receive a basic standard of living and for promoting economic growth.
“it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that the minimum wage is set at a level that provides workers with a decent standard of living, taking into account factors such as inflation rates,” the resolution read.
“It is imperative to improve the standard of living and quality of life for workers, particularly those in the lower income bracket, and to ensure that the policies on the minimum wage increase are fair, effective, and consistent with the needs of the workers and the economy,” it added.
Despite the said increase, Tulfo said the rising inflation with a reported rate of 8.7% in January 2023 has significantly impacted the cost of living, making it difficult for workers to make ends meet on their current wages.
Labor groups have already called for a new round of wage hikes to recover the lost purchasing of workers not just in Metro Manila, but in the whole country.
