Legarda renews call to protect workers as fuel, food prices soar
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Loren Legarda on Labor Day renewed her call for urgent government action to ease the burden on Filipino workers facing the daily impact of rising fuel and food prices.
She emphasized that the struggle of laborers today goes beyond wages; it is about survival and dignity amid economic hardship.
Filipino workers across sectors bear the brunt of the fuel crisis: drivers see earnings collapse, riders shoulder fuel and maintenance costs, farmers struggle with rising input prices, and fisherfolk face higher expenses.
The surge in transport and food prices has eroded household purchasing power, leaving millions of wage earners grappling with higher living costs.
“Every worker has the right to humane work, fair wages, and decent livelihood. I feel the burden carried by every family amid high fuel and commodity prices. The fight for workers’ rights is also a fight for the future of our country,” Legarda said in Filipino.
Legarda renewed her call to suspend excise tax and VAT on diesel and gasoline, stressing that relief should extend beyond LPG and kerosene.
“When taxes on fuel are reduced, diesel prices will go down, and fares will ease. Because of this, drivers can travel more, farmers can deliver their harvest more efficiently, and fisherfolk can go out to sea more often. When transportation moves, the supply chain moves, and the burden on the public is eased. We need fast and clear action now,” Legarda said..
Alongside this call, Legarda highlighted her proposed measures: the Differentiated VAT Rates Act, the Murang Bilihin at Serbisyong Medikal Act, and the Removal of VAT on Electricity Charges. These proposals aim to ensure that essential needs—food, healthcare, and electricity—remain affordable for Filipino families.
To further strengthen workers’ protection, Legarda has also filed proposed measures addressing wages, compensation, and livelihood. The Living Wage Act sets the living wage as the benchmark for minimum wage setting.
The P200 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act of 2026 mandates a P200 daily increase for private sector minimum wage earners. The Calamity Work Compensation Act grants an additional 30 percent daily pay or contingency support to private sector employees reporting during declared calamities.
The Pangkabuhayan Act of 2025 (SB 160) establishes a council and fund to integrate MSME financing, training, and livelihood programs, prioritizing vulnerable groups.
Legarda’s legislative work has long focused on protecting workers and securing livelihoods. She has championed laws, including the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, the Anti-Child Labor Law, the PESO Act, the Barangay Livelihood and Skills Training Act, the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act, the Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016, the JobStart Philippines Act, and the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act.
She also sponsored the Magna Carta for MSMEs and the ratification of ILO Convention 189, which paved the way for the Domestic Workers Act.
As the nation marks Labor Day, Legarda emphasized that the fight for workers’ rights is inseparable from the fight against poverty and inequality. She vowed to continue pushing for policies that ease the burden of rising costs and ensure that Filipino workers are not left behind in times of crisis. /atm
