Amid soaring inflation, solon bats for P750 minimum wage, repeal of TRAIN Law

A lawmaker has called on the Duterte administration to repeal the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law and increase the national minimum wage to P750 per day amid the soaring prices of goods and services in the country.

In a statement on Friday, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said the government should decisively act on the 6.4 percent inflation rate for August instead of denying that the TRAIN Law had something to do with it.

READ: Inflation hits new 9-year high of 6.4% in August

“The continuing denial stage of the Duterte administration that occurring price shocks are not brought by the TRAIN law will only throw tens of millions of poor Filipinos into a historical state of poverty and misery,” the lawmaker said.

Casilao noted that before the implementation of Republic Act 10963 in January this year, the prices of commercial rice were around P43 to P48, but now they are now at P50 to P55 per kilogram.

He added that recently, oil price jumped by P1.20 per liter for diesel and nearly P1 for gasoline.

Moreover, petitions for increases of minimum fare hike at P10 and P12 are being pushed by some transport groups, he said.

“Families of minimum wage earners will literally die of hunger at this state, but the Duterte administration is dismissing the already seriousness of this man-made crisis,” Casilao lamented.

The progressive lawmaker asserted that if the government continues its “inaction, specifically to stop the implementation of the TRAIN law and to totally repeal it,” the broad demand for wage hike becomes more and more urgent and justified.

“P512 minimum wage is already wind-swept by inflation, poor workers are essentially slaves under this situation, they are working in exchange of alms, and on the path of worsened hunger, illness and eventual death, we reiterate the demand of the workers for a P750 national minimum wage,” Casilao said.

Casilao is a primary author of House Bill No. 7787 which seeks a national daily minimum wage of P750.

The 6.4 percent August inflation was the fastest rate of increase in prices of basic goods and services since March 2009’s 6.6 percent during former Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term.

Arroyo had said the TRAIN Law contributed “a very, very small portion” to the inflation.

READ: Arroyo on 6.4% inflation: I’ve had a more alarming situation as President

Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda, Arroyo’s point-man on counter-inflation, meanwhile said the inflation was “self-inflicted” largely because the government “did little or nothing.”  /vvp

READ: 6.4% August inflation ‘self-inflicted’; gov’t ‘did little or nothing’ — Salceda

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