MANILA (LiCAS News): The Church People–Workers Solidarity [CWS] labour rights group dismissed a recent 50 peso wage hike in Metro Manila grossly inadequate, describing it as a failure to respond meaningfully to the economic needs of Filipino workers.
“While any wage hike reflects hard-fought advocacy by labour groups, we lament that this increase is grossly inadequate,” Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, chairperson of CWS, said in a statement issued on June 30
Bishop Alminaza said said the decision of the National Capital Region Wage Board to raise the daily minimum wage to 695 pesos for non-agricultural workers and 658 pesos for agricultural workers offered little relief amid rising costs of living.
He stressed that the wage hike “falls far short of what workers urgently need” and argued that it “does not come close to a ‘recovery wage,’ let alone the living wage that is just and humane.”
He said, “In the face of persistent inflation, rising fuel prices, and the worsening cost of living, this increase is insultingly insufficient. Workers and their families deserve wages that allow them to live decently—not merely survive.”
While any wage hike reflects hard-fought advocacy by labour groups, we lament that this increase is grossly inadequate
Bishop Alminaza
The bishop reiterated the Church group’s support for the proposed 1,200 peso Living Wage Bill filed by ACT Teachers Partylist representative, Antonio Tinio, and Kabataan Partylist representative, Renee Co. He said the measure would be a “concrete step toward economic justice,” enabling families to meet basic needs with dignity
According to Bishop Alminaza, research by IBON Foundation shows that a family of five in Metro Manila now needs 1,217 pesos per day, or 26,479 pesos per month, to live decently.
“A living wage is not a luxury; it is a moral obligation, rooted deeply in the teachings of our faith and in Catholic Social Teaching,” the bishop pointed out.
Quoting Pope Francis, Bishop Alminaza said, “A truly just economy must be based on respect for the dignity of the human person and ensure the conditions for a dignified life through work: fair wages, security, rest, and access to education and healthcare.”
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
The bishop called on the administration for Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and lawmakers to heed the call of the labour sector. “Let us move beyond tokenism. Let us uphold the dignity of labour through just and meaningful reforms,” he said.
“We stand in solidarity with all workers in their rightful call for a living wage—a wage that reflects their contribution to our nation, respects their humanity, and restores their hope,” Bishop Alminaza said.
