Church coalition calls for wage increase

Members of Koalisyon Laban sa ChaCha convened on Tuesday, 30 April 2024 and heard a mass at Quiapo Church to observe Labor Day and emphasize the urgent need of workers for wage increases, vehemently opposing Charter Change.

The pre-Labor Day mass was presided over by Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, head of Caritas Philippines, and also one of the conveners of the Koalisyon.

Numerous leaders and members of labor groups and people's organizations were also present.

"In the spirit of St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers, we acknowledge the hard work of our workers to provide for their families and to uplift our economy. We offer special prayers and blessings to them as they continue to fight for dignity and rights," Bagaforo said.

Coalition members, composed of various religious groups and people’s organizations, underscored the importance of enacting and enabling laws that guarantee living wages, labor rights and protections, and other safeguards in the worsening economic and climate conditions.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, also a convenor, called for the immediate passage of Senate Bill No. 2534 or the "P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act of 2023", in which she guaranteed the inclusion of not just regular workers, but also individuals employed under contractual agreements, sub-contractual agreements, or manpower agencies earning the minimum wage.

"Umento sa sahod ang isinisigaw ng ating mga manggagawa. Iyan ang tunay nilang kailangan. Mariin tayong nananawagan na mas pagtuunan ng oras at panahon ang pagpasa ng mga batas na makakapagbigay ng kagyat na ginhawa sa kanila, hindi ang ChaCha (Wage increase is what our laborers calls for. That's what they really need. I called on lawmakers to work and pass the laws that could be aa relief to workers, not the Charter Change)," Hontiveros said.

Likewise, Judy Miranda, Secretary General of Partido Manggagawa also emphasized the urgency of legislating daily wage increments, citing the Senate's approval of the said bill last February.

"Sa 'Sahod Itaas, ChaCha Iatras', mariing nakikibaka ang mga manggagawa laban sa patuloy na pagtaas ng mga bilihin at mababang pasahod. Hiling ng mga manggagawa na maisabatas ang dagdag sahod kada araw, na kung saan ang P100 na panukala ay inaprubahan na ng Senado," Miranda said.

Miranda also highlighted the four key issues crucial to the labor sector, dubbed as the "Apat Na Dapat" (Four Musts): lowering daily expenses, raising wages, creating jobs, and addressing poverty.

She stressed that these priorities reflect workers' need for concrete governmental actions, and not the proposed constitutional amendments.

"Ang pagbalewala ng pamahalaan sa pangangailangan ng mga ordinaryong manggagawa habang itinutulak ang walang kabuluhang Charter Change ay sumisira sa prinsipyo ng "primacy of labor over capital" ng Konstitusyon," Miranda said.