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NewsTranscript
00:00Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said earlier that on July 17, the addition of P35 will be implemented on the daily wages of the private sector in Metro Manila.
00:10Now, we will have Paul Gajes, legislative officer of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines. Good morning, Paul.
00:20Good morning, Ms. Susan and to all of our viewers.
00:24You have already said that the addition of P35 is small. Why? How high should be the daily wages of the workers that you expect to receive?
00:35Okay, for one thing, ma'am. We were pushing for P150, the legislated wage. Minimum. Minimum.
00:42We had a wage consultation. We had a wage hearing with the wage boards.
00:48This is what we're pushing for, P150, because this is what we think is right and should be increased,
00:55compared to the barriers that are traditionally given by our regional wage boards.
01:00This P150 has been proven. We have data. We have computation.
01:05We have resource persons invited to prove, academics and economists, that this is just right.
01:13This is the barest minimum, P150.
01:16This P35, do you think this will not somehow help the wages of the workers here in NCR, Paul?
01:26I was listening earlier in the interviews. Some were happy about it.
01:31But to be honest, they are saying that there is an addition, but it's not enough.
01:36One said that it's just a massage. The other said that it's just a country loan.
01:41Those are the reasons. So we can clearly see that it's not enough, P35.
01:47Paul, please elaborate on what you said, that it's an insult to the Filipino workers, this P35 increase in wages.
01:56Okay. If you remember correctly, last year we increased it to P40.
02:03And then now, we're asking for P150. Ironically, it was lowered to P35.
02:09These are just cramps, barriers and cramps to humiliate the workers.
02:13That's why we said, look at this.
02:16The daily expenses of our Filipino workers are really not enough.
02:21It's not enough. The average daily poverty threshold is cited in the wage order.
02:28Frankly, I don't know where that came from.
02:31But if we look at what we will compete with, the study of Ateneo for us to not be stunted for a living meal,
02:44P645 is barely enough now if we will add P35.
02:51Earlier, Paul, in our interview with Labor Secretary Laguesma,
02:55he said that the increase in wages is only in the minimum wage.
02:59He said it's different in the living wage. What is your reaction to this?
03:02It's really different. If we go to the living wage, our estimate is already at P1,000.
03:09Compared to P645, and that's only in the NCR.
03:15That's only in the NCR. Imagine what will happen to other wage boards in the regions.
03:22If the NCR, our benchmark is always the NCR, P35.
03:28So far from the living wage, P645 a day, that's only how much per month.
03:36In 24 days, that's not enough.
03:40As proven by the other interviews I did.
03:44What is the update on the so-called Wage Recovery Act in the Camera? Is this being discussed, Paul?
03:50Yes, Ma'am Susan. That's why our last bastion of hope for the workers
03:54is to push for the approval of the Legislative Wage Citing Congress.
03:59Unfortunately, for us, the 150 pesos increase is still pending in the Committee on Labor and Employment
04:05in the House of Representatives.
04:07While the Senate has already passed the 100 pesos increase on their part,
04:11the House of Representatives is just waiting.
04:14So we plead for the immediate passage of these bills.
04:19It's not just one, there are many bills.
04:22If we really need to pass it, unfortunately,
04:26we have three hearings already, but unfortunately, it's not approved on the committee level.
04:32It's still pending in the Committee on Labor and Employment in the House of Representatives.
04:36Okay. We'll keep you updated, Paul, on the developments here
04:41after there will be an increase in wages.
04:45But you said that this is just a barrier.
04:48Thank you very much, Paul Gajes.
04:50It's just a barrier. We'll pass it.
04:52Thank you, Paul Gajes, Legislative Officer of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.
04:58Good morning to you, Paul.
04:59Good morning.
05:18Thank you.