A senior legislator welcomed the P85 daily minimum wage increase for workers in Metro Manila but said the adjustment should only be the beginning of broader reforms to the country’s wage-setting system.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said the approved increase was a “good start” for employees in the National Capital Region, but warned that piecemeal adjustments are not enough to address the challenges faced by both workers and industries.
“Magandang simula ang P85 daily minimum wage hike para sa mga manggagawa sa Metro Manila. Pero ‘di sapat ang piecemeal na reporma para sa malaking hamon na hinaharap ng mga industriya at manggagawa,” she said.
The senator said the government must upgrade wage policies to improve workers’ living standards while helping micro, small, and medium enterprises grow, particularly outside Metro Manila.
The legislator said she is pushing Senate Bill No. 210, or the Fair Wages and Productivity Bill, which seeks to create a two-track system for wage reforms. Under the proposal, larger and better-capitalized businesses would be required to provide fair wage catch-up adjustments, while micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) would receive support to improve growth, innovation, and productivity.
She said some small firms may still need temporary exemptions from immediate compliance with mandated wage increases, but added that the process for registration, tax exemptions, and minimum wage exemptions should be made simpler and free from red tape.
The bill also proposes changes in the composition of wage boards by making the Department of Labor and Employment the sole voting representative among national agencies and adding two governors per region as voting members.
Hontiveros said the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, and regional governors should help secure Regional Development Council support for programs that strengthen small businesses.
Rather than abolishing the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, Hontiveros said the government should give greater attention to productivity, which she described as necessary to sustain higher incomes for workers.
She urged the Senate to prioritize the Fair Wages and Productivity Bill in the Second Regular Session, saying the reforms are needed to improve livelihoods across the country and not only in urban centers such as Metro Manila.