ON the resumption of sessions in the House of Representatives, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno called for the immediate passage of the House Bill 375 or the P125 Wage Hike Bill.
KMU insisted that a P125 across-the-board legislated wage hike is urgently needed amidst the growing hunger in the country, citing the Social Weather Stations survey which showed that the number of families that went hungry in the first quarter of this year reach 3.9 million.
“As Aquino boasts of economic growth, poverty and hunger among us workers worsens. On this year’s Labor Day, Aquino again denied workers of a significant wage hike while allowed 354 schools to increase their tuition fees. How could we afford to send our children to school with the present minimum wage?” Leandro “Ka Doods” Gerodias, KMU deputy secretary general said.
“Also, this month alone, oil prices have already increased 3 times. These further lessen the value of our already meager wages. That is why there are no more reasons for this Congress to deny us workers of a substantial wage hike. The P125 wage hike would be an immediate relief amidst the skyrocketing prices of basic goods and services” he added.
The Aquino government boasted about the 7.8 per cent growth in the country’s Gross Domestic Product during the first quarter of 2013. Workers said the growth did not translate into more jobs, better working conditions, and improved social services for the majority of Filipinos.
“The Aquino government is trying hard to create an illusion of growth yet continues in further pressing workers’ wages. For more than a decade, we have been deprived of a significant wage hike while capitalists’ super-profits continue to increase” he said.
“We demand that our congressmen, especially those who ran for re-elections, keep true to their campaign promises and heed our workers’ demands for a P125 wage hike. It would be hypocritical for them to promise heaven in their campaign slogans, but give us hell after being elected” Gerodias added.
After more than a decade, the P125 Wage Hike Bill filed by Anakpawis Partylist, was approved by the House Committee on Labor and Employment last January 18 and, under rules approved by the outgoing 15th Congress, will be considered approved at the committee level when the 16th Congress starts.
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