1 day ago
4
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives spokesperson condemned the Senate for “killing” the legislated wage hike bill by refusing to convene a bicameral conference committee on the final night of the 19th Congress session.
In a statement, House spokesperson Princess Abante described the Senate’s action as a “deliberate act that led to the bill’s death on the final night of session.”
“Let’s not sugarcoat it — the Senate killed the P200 wage hike bill,” Abante said in a statement.
“Last night was the final session of the 19th Congress. No bicam. No compromise. No wage hike. And the reason is simple: ‘Ayaw ng Senado makipag-usap. Gusto nila, tanggapin na lang nang buo ang P100 nila. Bakit? Bakit binabarya ng Senado ang mga manggagawa?’” she added.
(Last night was the final session of the 19th Congress. No bicam. No compromise. No wage hike. And the reason is simple: 'The Senate didn't want to talk. They wanted us to just accept their P100 in full. Why? Why is the Senate shortchanging the workers?)
Abante said the House’s bicameral conferees were fully prepared to meet and reconcile the differences between the two versions of the bill, but were left stunned by the Senate’s inaction.
"Our bicam conferees raised their eyebrows when asked what happened. They were ready to sit down, defend the P200 proposal, and fight for labor — only to find out the Senate had no intention of meeting at all," she said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The House earlier approved its version of the bill—which proposed a P200 daily wage increase—on third reading last June 4. According to Abante, the House’s bicameral panel had already been submitted several days before the adjournment.
However, Sen. Joel Villanueva urged the House to adopt the version passed by the Senate in February 2024, which proposed a P100 increase in the minimum wage. Abante described it as a "watered-down" version of the House’s bill.
“We were ready to deliberate. We came in good faith. But what the Senate gave us was a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum. ‘Wala silang balak makipag-usap. Gusto nila, sunod lang kami.’ That’s not how democracy works. That’s not how we serve the people,” she said.
(We were ready to deliberate. We came in good faith. But what the Senate gave us was a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum. 'They had no intention of talking. They just wanted us to follow.' That’s not how democracy works. That’s not how we serve the people.)
“This was not a reckless proposal. It was a responsible, well-considered measure. But instead of dialogue, ‘ang ibinalik sa amin ay tahimik na pagtanggi at pagmamadali,” she added.
(This was not a reckless proposal. It was a responsible, well-considered measure. But instead of dialogue, 'what they gave us back was a quiet refusal and haste.')
Betrayal of the working class
Several labor groups also condemned the failure of the Senate to pass the P200 wage hike, calling it a “monumental betrayal of the Filipino working class.”
Kammanggagawa Partylist Rep. Eli San Fernando said this is a result of political leadership that “chose technicalities over justice, and showmanship over substance.”
“The P200 wage hike could have brought immediate relief to millions of workers barely surviving on starvation wages,” San Fernando said.
“Instead, what we got was delay, disregard, and excuses. Sa lahat ng drama at palabas ng mga nasa kapangyarihan, ang mga manggagawa na naman ang naiwan sa ere,” he added.
(Instead, what we got was delay, disregard, and excuses. Amidst all the drama and politicking of those in power, it's the workers who are once again left hanging.)
For ACT Teachers party-list, it condemned the Senate and the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for “siding with big businesses against” the wage hike.
"Habang pinapalusot ng Senado ang malalaking magnanakaw at mapagsamantala tulad ni VP Duterte ay lalo naman nitong pinagkakait ang konting pag-alwan ng mga manggagawa. This is the height of injustice—protecting the corrupt while denying workers their rightful wage increase," ACT Teachers, through its representative, France Castro, said in a statement.
(While the Senate allows big thieves and exploiters like VP Duterte to get away, it further denies even a little relief to the workers. This is the height of injustice—protecting the corrupt while denying workers their rightful wage increase.)
"The Senate's refusal to pass the P200 wage hike exposes their true allegiance. They serve the capitalist class, not the Filipino people. While they waste time on political theatrics, millions of workers continue to struggle with poverty wages," she added.
As of March 2025, the economic think-tank Ibon Foundation said that a livable wage for a family of five should be P1,222 daily.
However, the current daily minimum wage is only P645.
