New body pushed to better define ‘living wage’ in PH

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano during one of the Senate inquiries. —Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday pushed for the creation of a “Labcom,” or Labor Commission, an interagency body that will craft policies to come up with a definition of “living wage” and harmonize the efforts of various sectors to improve working conditions in the country.

At a press briefing on the eve of Labor Day, Cayetano said Labcom and its composition will be patterned after the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2), the body that Congress had created to evaluate the education system.

The proposed legislative-executive body will have three Cabinet members, three senators and three members of the House of Representatives as commissioners, he said.

It will also include representatives from major businesses, SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises), and labor groups.

“The successes of Edcom 2 really inspired me … As we have seen, Edcom 2 was able to put together the best of minds and conduct meetings all throughout the year,” Cayetano said.

“Look at the major reforms that we have had in the education sector. Most of those came from Edcom 1 and 2,” he noted.

As to whether Labcom might just duplicate the tasks of the Department of Labor and Employment, Cayetano observed that the department had consistently failed to set the amount that would be considered a living wage by employers and their workers.

“By having House members and senators work together with the executive department [and the labor and trade sectors], we will have a consensus,” he said.

“We might not all agree with the amount for a ‘living wage,’ but at least we will have a movement,” he added.

Cayetano said he and his sister, reelectionist Sen. Pia Cayetano, will file a bill next week to formalize his proposal.

Senate wage bill

At the same time, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri reiterated the need to pass a legislated daily wage hike of P100 to recognize the “tireless spirit of our workers who build our cities, drive our economy, and sustain the hopes of every family.”

Zubiri sponsored Senate Bill No. 2534, or the proposed P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act of 2024, which the Senate approved on third and final reading in February 2024.

“Amid the rising cost of basic goods and services, this is no longer a matter of choice, but of justice,” Zubiri said in a statement.