SENATOR Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios “Imee” Romualdez Marcos expressed concern over the plight of the laborers nationwide considering that even the P100 wage hike may not be enough amid the escalating increase of prices of basic commodities and business’ opposition to the wage hike.
She told a press conference on May first held at Bohol Cultural Center that nation’s 95% of the business are into micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) should also be taken into consideration when increasing labor wage of P100.
If the increase is more than what the SMEs could afford they might end up closing shop, she said.
Her brother, President Ferdinand R Marcos, Jr. has called for a review of workers’ pay rates as some lawmakers are pushing for bills increasing the daily minimum wage to mitigate the impact of rising prices of goods and to reduce poverty incidence.
The Senate on February this year “passed on final reading a measure that seeks to increase the daily minimum wage by P100. Marcos did not mention the bill in his speech, although he pushed for the passage of a number of employment-related measures,” the report said.
But business groups are not in favor of a legislated wage hike since this may lead to higher inflation and hurt small businesses.
Though there was no order for a wage increase, reports said, the President lately directed regional wage boards to review the pay rates in their respective areas and urged Congress to pass a number of measures, which did not include wage hike bills.
Senator Marcos, meanwhile, said that the government may not be able to shoulder another hike the monthly pension for the senior citizens. “Hindi kaya,” she said.
But she bared that congress was able to increase the said pension to P1,000 from P500.
Senator Marcos was in town to celebrate 122nd Labor Day which falls on feast day of the city and the special guest of the Saulog festival mardi gras.
She was joined by Gov. Aris Aumentado, city Mayor Jane Yap and Congw. Camille Villar, who also graced the festival at the provincial-owned-and-managed President Carlos P. Garcia sports complex.
