The country’s largest labor group debunked yesterday the claim of foreign and local businessmen that increasing the minimum wage would result in mass layoffs and closure of companies.
“This will not happen in the Philippines because those who cannot afford the minimum wage rate can be exempted by law from applying the rate,” TUCP executive vice president Gerard Seno said yesterday in reaction to the warning issued by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).
Seno said employers are heartless for ignoring the condition of workers.
The ECOP and the JFC urged the wage boards to dismiss TUCP’s petition for wage increase. The TUCP filed separate petitions for an increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in Metro Manila by P85 and from P80 to P88 for workers in other regions.
Seno said workers are suffering from rising electricity rates and gas prices. He also cited the impending hike in Social Security System premiums and the Metrorail Transit and Light Railway Transit fares.
“The response to dismiss the petition outright tends to show the top leadership of ECOP and JFC is losing touch with reality and utterly disregarding the economic difficulties being experienced by thousands of Filipino minimum wage earners,” Seno said.
He said it is also unfair to compare the wage rate in the Philippines with those in other countries in Southeast Asia since workers operate in varying political and economic circumstances and procedures.
He said the P456 daily minimum wage in Metro Manila has significantly eroded and is way below the living wage needed to survive in the highly urbanized region.
Seno said JFC and ECOP’s claim would not discourage workers from seeking a wage increase.
TUCP president Democrito Mendoza said they support the business groups’ campaign against smuggling and red tape and the call to bring down the cost of electricity.
However, Mendoza said, the group remains firm in its position to seek an immediate wage hike.
TUCP also called on the different wage boards to objectively focus on efforts to restore the workers’ lost purchasing power and ignore the call of the employers to dismiss the petition for wage hike.
The wage board in Metro Manila is set to hold today a public hearing on the TUCP’s petition for wage increase.
Meanwhile, workers belonging to the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno staged a mass action to push for a P125 legislated wage increase and to abolish the wage boards. — Philippine Star With Michelle Zoleta
