THE militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno
yesterday pressed its call for President Arroyo to certify as
urgent a wage hike bill pending at the House of Representatives.
House Bill 1722 filed by militant congressmen
led by Crispin Beltran and Teddy Casiño seeks a P125 across the
board increase in the daily wage of workers in the private
sector and a P3,000 hike in the monthly pay of government
workers. The bill is still at the committee level.
The chair of the House labor committee, Rep.
Magtanggol Gunigundo II (Lakas, Valenzuela), is proposing a P36
daily increase for Metro Manila workers, or about 10 percent of
the current minimum wage of P362.
The last wage adjustment in Metro Manila was
given in August last year.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines
is asking for an across the board daily wage increase of P80 to
P150.
"President Arroyo should not wait for the
Filipinos to riot just because they can no longer afford to buy
even the cheaper National Food Authority rice, noodles and
sardines. She should compel Congress to prioritize House Bill
1722," said Wilson Baldonaza, KMU secretary general.
KMU is set to hold a picket at the House at
the resumption of Congress sessions.
Malacañang has said a legislated wage hike would take longer.
President Arroyo had earlier ordered regional tripartite wages
and productivity boards to convene and assess the possibility of
increasing workers’ pay, among other moves to help workers cope
with a continuing increase in the prices of oil and rice. –
Gerard Naval
