(REUTERS/file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) on Friday said the P40 minimum wage increase approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region (NCR) is “inhumane” and an “insult” to workers.
AHW cited the “worsening economic crisis” and “inflation of basic commodities” as primary factors that burden ordinary employees including health workers.
“The P40 wage hike in NCR is a big insult and inhumane to the workers who are the backbone of our country’s economy. Employers advocate to maintain the slave wage system in the country, keep wages low and maximize their profits,” said AHW in a statement.
“[This] is meager and cannot keep up with the skyrocketing prices of goods and commodities. This miniscule increase in minimum wage shows the [lack] of genuine concern,” the group added.
To reiterate their calls for a living wage, the group held a noontime picket in front of the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila on Friday.
AHW is demanding a P33,000 entry -level salary for all public and private health workers in the Philippines. Apart from this, the health workers are also pushing for the immediate release of unpaid COVID-19 allowances and performance-based bonuses.
“AHW is firmly in solidarity with the private sector workers to fight for a living wage, along with the call of public health workers, public school teachers and all government employees to raise their salaries,” AHW concluded.