Villanueva urges House to adopt Senate’s P100 daily wage hike bill

Metro Manila, Philippines - Sen. Joel Villanueva has appealed to the House of Representatives to adopt the Senate’s proposed ₱100 daily wage hike instead of its ₱200 version.

The move would skip the bicameral conference committee process and allow Congress to pass the measure on its last session day on Wednesday, June 13.

Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, will be leading the Senate contingent to the bicameral conference committee.

Villanueva said that while both Houses of Congress “share the same intention to improve the quality of life of our workers and guarantee their fundamental right to fair wage,” the Senate recognizes the “tremendous impact” of a legislated wage increase on the economy.

Particularly, the senator took note of the position of the government and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

“The joint position expresses strong reservations against the proposed increase in the daily minimum wage, citing potential adverse economic and social impacts, including increase in unemployment, increase in the prices of consumer goods, significant losses for businesses, downward pressure on the growth of the Gross Domestic Product in the long term, and further widening of regional disputes,” Villanueva said.

Some members of the House contingent earlier said they will not be rigid on the amount of the legislated wage increase should they go into a bicameral conference committee.

“Pag-usapan natin nang mabuti kung ano ang dapat isulong natin… Pag nagkaisa mabilis na lang po ‘yon… Pwede ng pumunta sa sala ng pangulo,” Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas previously said.

[Translation: Let’s discuss the amount that we should settle on. Once we are one with the amount, it will just be quick. The bill could go to the office of the president.]

The House on June 4 passed on third and final reading its P200 daily wage increase for minimum wage earners in the private sector.

The Senate passed its P100 wage hike version in February 2024.

The last legislated wage hike was in 1989.