After the proposed national minimum wage bill hurdled the committee level, four principal authors of the bill called on House leadership to prioritize the measure for plenary sponsorship and debates, following its approval at the committee level.

The call was aired by House Committee on Labor and Employment Chairperson and Cavite 1st District Rep. Ramon Jolo B. Revilla III, Albay 3rd District Rep. Adrian E. Salceda, Kamanggagawa Partylist Rep. Elijah “Eli” San Fernando, and Pangasinan 5th District Rep. Ramon N. Guico Jr., saying the measure represents a rare point of convergence across political lines and urging House Speaker Bojie Dy and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos to schedule the bill at the soonest possible time.

“The committee has done its work. The entire House and its leadership must now act decisively,” San Fernando said. “We respectfully appeal to our leadership to give this measure the space for plenary debate that it deserves. Workers across the country are watching this process closely, and they hope to see Congress move with urgency and seriousness.”

Revilla emphasized that the bill is ultimately about restoring fairness to a wage structure that has long divided workers by geography, even as markets and prices have long ceased to be regional.

“Makaluma at hindi na talaga angkop sa ating panahon itong regionalized wage system,” Revilla said. “Unang una ay hindi na regional ang presyo ng bilihin kaya dapat lang na hindi regional ang sistema ng pasahod. Panahon na para ayusin ‘yan.”

He added: “Pare-pareho ang hirap ng buhay at pang araw-araw na gastusin ng ating mga kababayan, nasa Metro Manila ka man o nasa mga probinsya, kaya dapat pare-pareho rin ang baseline ng sahod. We need this national wage law now.”

Salceda underscored that wage reform is not only a labor issue but an economic one.

“A stronger wage floor strengthens household purchasing power and supports domestic demand,” Salceda said. “When workers earn more, they spend more locally. That circulates back to businesses, communities, and tax revenues. This is a reform that supports both social equity and economic growth.”

The four stressed that public surveys, particularly from Octa Research and WR Numero, consistently show that higher wages and the rising cost of living are among the top concerns of Filipinos. They believe that advancing the bill to plenary debate allows Congress to directly address those concerns.

“This is an opportunity for the House to demonstrate that it is clearly listening to the people,” Guico said. “The national cost of living crisis must be addressed not just by lowering prices, but also through serious wage reform that strengthens local economies and supports balanced development across regions.”

The National Minimum Wage Bill seeks to replace the decades-old regional wage system with a unified national wage floor, implemented through a structured transition framework designed to ensure economic stability while addressing long-standing disparities in pay.

Aside from the four authors, Camarines Norte 1st District Rep. Josefina B. Tallado also filed a National Minimum Wage measure, which was integrated into the substitute bill approved by the committee.

The authors stressed that prioritizing the measure does not predetermine its final form, but ensures that the House fulfills its role as a venue for full and transparent debate.

“We trust in the collective wisdom of the House,” said the authors. “Through forthright yet collegial debate and discussion, we are certain that this measure will be strengthened, and that the chamber will rise to the occasion and deliver for the Filipino people.”