The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is holding back from commenting on the proposed P200 wage hike bill, which the House of Representatives passed on Wednesday, but will support the proposed measure if it becomes law.
Earlier, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said he fully supports the proposed P200-wage increase and is committed to implementing the law as soon as possible, emphasizing the department’s responsibility to ensure worker rights and legal compliance.
Laguesma emphasized that while the legislature is tasked with creating laws, the executive branch, including DOLE, is responsible for their implementation.
“It is not DOLE’s role to block or object to wage hike proposals,” amid ongoing discussions about wage adjustments, including a recent House-approved increase and other proposed hikes. The final decision, Laguesma noted, rests with the Philippine Congress.
The DOLE’s tripartite structure promotes fair wage determinations while also striving to create quality jobs for the annual influx of 600,000 to 700,000 new workers, Laguesma has said previously.
He noted that the last national wage increase mandated by law took place in 1989, after which regional wage boards were established to tailor wage adjustments based on local economic conditions.
“These boards ensure that minimum wages stay above a set baseline; however, any extra benefits and salaries that go beyond the minimum are required to be negotiated,” Laguesma said.
The House Committee on Labor and Employment approved a substitute bill that requires a P200 daily wage increase for all private sector employees.
Under the bill, every private business, irrespective of its size or industry, must enforce a P200 daily salary increase once the bill is enacted. This proposal has so far received mixed to negative response from the business sector.
