Hontiveros wants inclusion of contractual workers in proposed P100 wage hike

Senator Risa Hontiveros is pushing for the inclusion of individuals employed under contractual agreements, sub-contractual agreements, or manpower agencies earning minimum wage, in the proposed P100 salary increase for private sector workers.

“Sinigurado nating hindi maiiwan sa umento sa sahod ang construction workers, security guards, utilities, waiters, at iba pang manggagawa sa service sector, na kadalasan ay contractual o sub contractual. Ito ay paraan para maipamalas natin ang equal treatment at fair labor practices para sa lahat ng manggagawa, ano pa man ang kanyang employment status,” she said.

The upper chamber recently approved Senate Bill 2534, which was sponsored by Committee on Labor chairperson Senator Jinggoy Estrada,

mandating a P100 hike in the daily minimum wage of all private sector workers employed by both agricultural and non-agricultural industries.

The measure was sponsored by Committee on Labor chairperson Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Hontiveros is hoping for the immediate enactment of the measure but lamented there’s still a need to pass an across-the-board wage increase.

“The proposed P100 wage increase is a significant step towards providing much-needed relief to minimum wage earners,” Hontiveros said.

She, however, noted that the P100 wage increase still falls short of addressing the broader goal of achieving a “living wage” for workers and their families.

Hontiveros cited the recent study conducted by the IBON Foundation which revealed that a family of five residing in the National Capital Region, requires a daily wage of at least P1,193 to sustain a decent standard of living.

However, the NCR's daily minimum wage stands at only half of that amount—P610 as of 16 July 2023.

“There is an urgent need for reforms to enhance the effectiveness of wage-setting mechanisms and strengthen workers' bargaining power that will help us further uplift the lives of our minimum wage workers,” she said.