With the implementation today of the
P21 minimum wage hike for NCR workers, the militant Partido Manggagawa (PM)
released its own study of the cost of living for
a family of five in Metro Manila that reveals it has already reached
P1,261 a day.
"San
makakarating ang P21 na wage order kung ang daily cost of living ay P1,200? This
estimate shows that the gap between the P512 minimum wage in the NCR and the
present cost of living is a yawning P749 or 146% of the
ordinary wage. Even if both parents work—which is the buy one, take one
policy of the government—then their combined income will not be
enough to feed the entire family," stated
Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson.
The group’s cost of living estimate
did not provide for savings and social security which in the government’s
basket of goods and services constitutes 10% of the cost of living.
Furthermore, PM's study did not include items such as leisure and recreation,
and the family budget for health excluded medical expenses. Magtubo said
that "If we include such
items, and we must in a more accurate survey, then the cost of living will
significantly exceed P1,200 per day."
The group asserts that the wage orders
granted by the NCR wage board have not been enough to bridge the huge gap
between the minimum wage and the cost of living. “Since the NCR wage board was established in
1989, no basic wage increase ever granted was above P30, whether the economy
was in boom or bust. The wage boards must be abolished for being inutile. Its
wage orders are always delayed, stingy and benefits merely a small section of workers
because it is not across-the-board and riddled with exemptions, deferments and
creditability clauses," declared Magtubo.
He added that “Whatever happened to
the campaign promise of this administration that the regional wage boards wil
be abolished and a national minimum wage instituted? Is it just another broken promise,
like ending endo?”
The group is advocating for the
establishment of a National Wage Commission. “The National Wage Commission is different
in that its mandate is to fix wages based on the single criterion of cost of living.
And despite the huge gap between the present minimum wage and the current cost of living,
the National Wage Commission can achieve equalizing the two by a host of mechanisms
among which are direct wage increases, tax exemptions, price discounts at
social security subsidies for workers,” Magtubo explained.
Magtubo also argued that "Since we should not impose the
burden of household chores and child rearing to the female parent, then
the basket of goods should provide for a househelp. That is not
anymore a luxury especially in the light of the insistence of the
state that both parents must work instead of having just a single
breadwinner. Even the Kasambahay Law implicitly recognizes that a househelp is
a necessity even for working class households."
Cost of Living Estimate
for a
family of 5 living in NCR (2017)
|
Items
|
Volume/Cost
|
Daily
Cost
|
Monthly
Cost
|
%
share
|
|
Food & Beverages
|
|
|
16,029.70
|
42.31
|
|
rice
|
2.5kg/day x P35 (sinandomeng)
|
87.50
|
2,625
|
|
|
ulam
& gulay
|
3 servings (P78/pax/day x 5 pax)
|
390
|
11,700
|
|
|
condiments
|
2kg onion (P65),
1kg garlic (P109), others
|
7.97
|
239
|
|
|
fruits
|
4kg x P40 (banana)
|
5.33
|
160
|
|
|
cooking
oil
|
2 liters x P95.45
|
6.36
|
190.90
|
|
|
sugar
|
2kg x P50
|
3.33
|
100
|
|
|
soy
sauce
|
1 liter P32.25
|
1.08
|
32.25
|
|
|
vinegar
|
1 liter P26.75
|
0.89
|
26.75
|
|
|
fish
sauce
|
1 liter P30.75
|
1.03
|
30.75
|
|
|
coffee
|
2 (100g) x P75.90
|
5.06
|
151.80
|
|
|
milk
|
3 (900g) x P257.75
|
25.78
|
773.25
|
|
|
Utilities
|
|
|
3,400
|
8.97
|
|
electricity
|
200kwh (P11.17/kwh)
|
74.47
|
2,234
|
|
|
water
|
20cu.m. (P20.80/cu.m)
|
13.87
|
416
|
|
|
LPG
|
1 cylinder
|
25
|
750
|
|
|
House rental
|
|
|
6,000
|
15.84
|
|
|
1 month rent
|
200
|
6,000
|
|
|
Toiletries
|
|
|
1,224.10
|
3.23
|
|
soap
|
6 bars x P37.75
|
7.55
|
226.50
|
|
|
shampoo
|
2 (200ml ) x P99.80
|
6.65
|
199.60
|
|
|
sanitary
napkins
|
3 (packs of 8) x P40.00
|
4
|
120
|
|
|
toothpaste
|
2 (150ml) x P67.50
|
4.5
|
135
|
|
|
laundry
soap
|
24 (70g pack) x P9.50
|
7.60
|
228
|
|
|
deodorant
|
4 x P78.75
|
10.50
|
315
|
|
|
Education
|
|
|
5,170.83
|
13.65
|
|
enrollment
fees
|
3 pax x P750 = P2250/schoolyear
|
6.16
|
187.50
|
|
|
school
allowance
|
100 x 2 pax & 50 x 1 pax/day x 22 days x 10
months = P55,000/yr
|
150.68
|
4583.33
|
|
|
theatre
tickets
|
1 ticket x P200/grading x 4 periods x 3
pax/schoolyear = P2,400
|
6.58
|
200
|
|
|
school
projects
|
2 subjects x P100
/grading x 4 periods x 3 pax = P2,400/schoolyear
|
6.58
|
200
|
|
|
Health
|
|
|
165
|
0.44
|
|
ascorbic
acid
|
5 (1 tablet ascorbic acid generic) X P1.10
|
5.50
|
165
|
|
|
Communications
|
|
|
1,500
|
3.96
|
|
phone
or cellphone
|
at least P25/day load x 2
|
50
|
1,500
|
|
|
Transpo expenses
|
|
|
4,400
|
11.61
|
|
fare
to and from work
|
2 pax x P100/day x 22days
|
146.67
|
4,400
|
|
|
Total
|
|
P1,260.64
|
P37,889.63
|
|
NOTES:
1. Family is composed of a couple
with 3 children. Children are all in public schools (2 HS level and 1
elementary), school supplies, work books expenses, internet use for research
are not yet included
2. Basket does not include bill for a
house-help
3. Utilities such as electricity and water
vary from time to time depending on consumption so its ++
4. No item for leisure/recreation
5. Health budget does not include medical
expenses
6. No budget allotted for
savings. NWPC basket provides 10% of the total
October 5, 2017
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