Comelec employees seek pay hike

MANILA, Philippines - Employees of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) are seeking a wage increase amid preparations for the May 2016 polls.

Members of the Comelec Employees Union (CEU) said yesterday the poll body has no funds to upgrade their salaries despite its huge budget for next year’s elections.

The employees said they support calls to set the minimum wage for government and private workers at P16,000 a month.

“Workers have every right to demand a substantial increase in their salaries amid the high cost of living these days,” they said.

Citing a report of independent think-tank Ibon Foundation, CEU said a family of six needs P1,086 per day to survive.

The group said the P9,000 monthly minimum wage for state workers is not enough.

“How can the government allow its workers to live with such pay?  It’s high time the government raise the minimum pay of 1.6 million state workers,” they said.

They added the salary adjustment should be given in full and not on a staggered basis as was done during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.