Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19) — Various labor groups slammed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for failing to fulfill his campaign promise to bring down the price of rice to ₱20 per kilo.
Days ahead of the president’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA), members of the All Philippine Trade Unions (APTU) said workers can’t cope with inflation.“Hiling namin at lahat ng nasa panel na ito ay ‘yung pinangakong ₱20 a kilo na bigas, sa ground iyan din ang panawagan ng women workers kasi nagkaroon ng mga konsultasyon kaugnay ng wage, ‘yung bigas po hindi naman talaga bumaba nitong mga nakaraang buwan,” Jacque Ruiz of Women Workers United said.[Translation: Everyone on this panel is hoping that the government will fulfill the promised ₱20 a kilo of rice. It is also the call of women workers because there were consultations related to the wage, and we have not seen a reduction in rice prices in recent months.]Based on the Department of Agriculture’s price monitoring as of July 18, the rice prices range from ₱36 to ₱48 a kilo.
Marcos recently said he was doing everything he could to fulfill his promise.
READ: Marcos on ₱20 per kilo rice: ‘We’re doing everything’
The group is also calling on the administration to take their demands for a reasonable wage hike seriously.A ₱40 increase in the minimum wage in Metro Manila was recently approved.However, the APTU said the amount barely makes a difference. The group said a minimum wage hike at least ₱100 across the board is needed to help workers and their families survive.“Kung ₱40 merong increase sa NCR, papaano ang mga kasama natin sa region na halos parehas din ang magiging problema sa pagtaas ng serbisyo at sa pag-access ng basic products o pangangailangan, hindi lang naman sa NCR nagtataas ang presyo ng mga bilihin,” Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Peogresibong Manggaawa (SENTRO) deputy secretary general Nice Coronacion said.
