SBG’s call: Close nat’l wage gaps

The government should expand its focus to include regional workers outside Metro Manila as Filipino families face rising prices for everyday necessities and shrinking purchasing power, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said during a Senate budget hearing.

Go urged labor officials to ensure meaningful wage increases across all regions during the Senate hearing on the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DoLE) proposed 2027 budget.

While welcoming the recent wage adjustment in the National Capital Region, he called on DoLE to prioritize workers in provinces where additional economic support is needed most.

“I hope that we will not focus only on Metro Manila,” Go said. “Let us also look at the situation of workers in other regions, especially in areas where more people need additional support.”

Go noted that a persistent gap remains between regional pay scales and the actual cost of living.

“Raising the minimum wage nationwide has long been a call from Filipinos,” Go said. “The prices of goods continue to increase faster than wages. We can say that there is still a mismatch between wages and the prices of goods, and the purchasing power of our people remains low.”

To address the disparity, Go cited Senate Bill 175, which he filed to establish an across-the-board P100 daily minimum wage increase for private-sector workers nationwide. He said the measure aims to help families keep pace with rising inflation and secure a decent standard of living.