MANILA, Philippines — At least six petitions have so far been filed by labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) for a P750 national minimum wage to address increasing prices of oil and basic commodities.
BMP general-secretary Mike Garay said the group has filed the petition before the regional wage boards of six regions, namely Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
“Inaanunsyo natin na isa siyang national campaign, isang national fight itong pagtutulak ng P750 minimum wage. ‘Yun ‘yung ating sinusulong at sa mga darating na panahon, hinahabol natin ang ibang rehiyon para maging national wage,” he said in a press conference.
(We are announcing that this is a national campaign, a national fight in pushing for a P750 minimum wage. In the coming days, we will ask other regions to file petitions so that we will have a national wage.)
Garay clarified that the petitions are not for a P750 increase across the board but the petitions are for different wage hikes to reach the standard of P750 national wage.
“Hindi ‘yan P750 wage increase nationwide, hindi across the board. Magkakaibang wage increase ito para abutin ang iisang standard na P750 na national minimum wage,” he said.
(It is not a P750-increase nationwide, not across the board. These are different increases to reach the standard of P750 minimum national minimum wage.)
The push for a P750 national minimum wage is a step towards the attainment of the Constitutional provisions for a living wage and for a “just share in the fruits of production,” the BMP said.
The wage petitions stemmed from the rising prices of basic commodities aggravated by the increase of fuel prices due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict.
Currently, the minimum wage in Metro Manila is P500 to P537 per day.
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