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| Photo from Agence France Press |
The Kapatiran ng mga Unyon at Samahang Manggagawa
or Kapatiran on Friday said the P35-P50 wage increase for Calabarzon areas
under Wage Order No. IVA-20 issued last September 1 failed to meet the
principal demands for wage recovery and living wage of the wage petitioners in
the region which amount ranges from P100 to P750 per day.
The increase, which takes effect on September 24,
sets the new minimum wage in the region between P385 to P520 for the
non-agricultural sector and from P385 to P479 for the agriculture sector.
“Kulang ang umentong ito ito kahit para sa isang
kilong bigas sa isang araw at ni hindi makababawi sa nawala na at patuloy pang
nawawalang halaga ng sahod ng manggagawa sa rehiyon. Sa kabila ng increase, ang
tunay na halaga (real wage value) ng minimum wage ngayon sa Region 4-A ay
P428.80 lamang,” said Kapatiran Chair Rey Almendras.
Almendras also criticized the numerous wage
classifications in the region that make enforcement and compliance very
complicated, notwithstanding the blanket exemption available for firms
employing not more than 10.
“Para na ring bigas na may regular, well-milled, at
premium na klasipikasyon ang sistema ng pasweldo sa bansa dahil kahit nasa
iisang kalagayan lamang sa buhay ang mga manggagawa sa isang rehiyon ay
magkakaiba ang halaga ng kanilang sweldo,” lamented Almendras.
Kapatiran argued that the wage hike in Calabarzon,
and earlier the P40 in NCR, mirror the structural defects of the prevailing
wage system in the country under RA 6727 where the financial health of
employers is given more importance than the workers’ capacity to live and their
right to a rising standard of living.
“Kung mayroon mang hindi makatwiran at
mapang-abusong price control na ipinatutupad sa bansa noon pa man, hindi ito
ang P41-P45 per kilo na ipinapataw ngayon sa presyo ng bigas kundi sa presyo at
tamang pasweldo sa mga manggagawa,” bewailed Almendras, pointing to how the
economic managers justifies the price caps on rice today but objecting to wage
hikes because it would do more harm on the economy.
Kapatiran fears the NCR and Calabarzon wage orders
will become the template for other regions, thus, the need to shift to battle
for a legislated wage hike and reforms in the wage-setting mechanisms in the
country.
Pending before Congress are the P150-P750 wage hike
bills. Senators, including Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, vowed to pass
the measure while the House of Representatives has yet to conduct hearings on
the pending wage hike bills.
PRESS RELEASE
KAPATIRAN (Kapatiran ng mga Unyon at Samahang Manggagawa)
08 September 2023
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