'Kontra inflation': Senador itinulak dagdag P150/araw na minimum wage
MANILA, Philippines — Habang nananatili sa hanggang P570 ang arawang minimum na pasahod sa Metro Manila, papaliit naman nang papaliit ang halaga nito — ang tulin kasi ng pagtaas ng mga bilihin.
Inihain ni Senate President Migz Zubiri, Martes, ang Senate Bill 2002 na planong magdagdag ng P150 sa daily minimum wage sa pribadong sektor. Kahapon lang nang i-file ng Gabriela Women's Party ang House Bill 7568, na nais itong taasan ng P750 kada araw.
"Given the urgency of the situation, a legislated wage increase is called for to ease the effect of wage erosion brought about by inflation," wika ni Zubiri sa kanyang explanatory note, habang nasa 8.6% ang February inflation.
"This measure proposes a Php150.00 across the board increase in the minimum wage of workers in the private sector to cover food, water, fuel, electricity, clothing, transportation, rent, communications and other personal needs."
Kung titignan ang bilis ng pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, halos triple ito ngayon kumpara noong Pebrero 2022 (nasa 3% lang).
Dagdag pa ni Zubiri, mas malala ang kondisyon sa labas ng National Capital Region kung saan mas mababa ang minimum wage: pinakamababa ito sa P316/araw sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao para sa non-agriculture sector.
"According to Ibon Foundation, the gap between workers' wages and the estimated family living wage continues to widen," ayon sa senador.
"As of January 2023, a family in NCR will need a daily living wage of Php1,161. This is almost double than the highest pay recieved by a minimum wage worker in the region."
Matagal nang nananawagan ng wage hike ang Kilusang Mayo Uno, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines at Partido ng Manggagawa. Sa kabila nito, isang beses lang kada taon pwede maglabas ng panibagong wage order ang Regional Wages and Productivity Boards sa ilalim ng batas — maliban na lang kung may "unusual economic incidents."
'Across the board'
Kung sakaling maipapasa ito bilang batas, ioobliga nito ang lahat ng employers sa pribadong sektor (mapa-agrikultural o non-agricultural) na taasan ang sahod sa kanilang mga manggagawa "across-the-board" ng P150 kada araw.
Kahit na ganoon, wala naman daw pipigil sa mga Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board na magkaloob ng dagdag na umento batay sa Republic Act 6727.
"Nothing in this Act shall be construted to reduce any existing allowance and benefit of any form under existing laws, decrees, issurances, executive orders and any contract or agreement between workers and employers," ayon sa Section 7 ng panukala.
Citing the urgency to ease the effects of wage erosion due to inflation, Senate President Migz Zubiri files a bill seeking a nationwide across-the-board P150 wage hike @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/iAoAj6VZOf
— Xave Gregorio (@XaveGregorio) March 14, 2023
Parusa: Hanggang P500k multa, 4 na taong kulong
Upang matiyak na sumusunod ang mga kumpanya at negosyo rito, aatasan ang Department of Labor and Employment na inspeksyunin ang payroll atbp. financial records ng mga nabanggit upang matiyak na nababayaran nang tama "across-the-board" ang mga manggagawa.
Sa mga kumpanyang may unyon, kinakailangang samahan ng presidente nito ang DOLE inspectors. Gagawin naman ito sa harap ng workers' representatives kung hindi unionized ang workplace.
"Any person, corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association or entity violating any privion of this Act shall be punished by a fine of not less than [P100,000] not more than four years or both at the discretion of the court," sabi pa ng SB 2002.
"[If] a violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, association or any other entity, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed upon the entity's responsible officers including, but not limited to, the president, vice prtesident, chief executive officer, general manager, managing director or partner."
Aatasan din ang employer na bayaran nang doble ang unpaid benefits sa mga empleyado kung mangyari ito. — may mga ulat mula kay Xave Gregorio
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