Tulfo seeks probe on minimum wage hike policies
WITH recently high inflation rates wiping out minimum wage gains, Senator Raffy Tulfo has filed a Senate Resolution (SR) seeking to review existing policies on the minimum wage increases to improve the standard of living and quality of life of workers, particularly those in the lower income bracket.
In filing SR No. 476, Tulfo stressed that while there was a minimum wage increase last year, he said increases will not be able to sustain the living conditions of workers, considering that many of them are facing financial difficulties brought about by “rising inflation.”
The minimum wage, Tulfo maintained, serves as a “critical tool” for ensuring that workers receive a basic standard of living and promoting economic growth.
Furthermore, Tulfo, in his resolution, said that it is the responsibility of the State to ensure that the minimum wage is set at a level that provides workers with a decent standard of living, taking into account factors such as inflation rates.
“It is imperative to improve the standard of living and quality of life for workers,” Tulfo’s resolution states, “…particularly those in the lower income bracket, and to ensure that the policies on the minimum wage increase are fair, effective, and consistent with the needs of the workers and the economy.”
It can be noted that the latest minimum wage increase took effect last June 4, 2022, with the rates ranging from P533 to P570 per day in NCR (National Capital Region).
The increase in minimum wage outside Metro Manila, meanwhile, took effect between June 6 to June 30, 2022, with the rates ranging from P306 to P470.
Despite the said increase, Tulfo said the rising inflation, with a reported rate of 8.7% in January 2023, has significantly impacted the cost of living, making it difficult for workers to make ends meet on their current wages.
Labor groups have already called for a new round of wage hikes to recover the lost purchasing power of workers not just in Metro Manila but in the whole country.
