MANILA, Philippines—An alliance of workers has blamed the rising number of poor and hungry people in the country to the lack of job opportunities and wage increases for the working population.
In a statement, Defend Job Philippines—composed of workers from different companies such as Pepsi Cola Philippines and Advan Shoes, among others—said the results of the latest Social Weather Stations survey only showed that “millions of people” are still unemployed and “barely subsist” as a result of the recent spate of oil price hikes and basic commodity price increases.
“The new survey is a clear basis that the Filipino people are even more impoverished,” the group said.
The SWS survey conducted from March 4 to 7 showed that 20.5 percent, or an estimated 4.1 million families, experienced hunger involuntarily sometime in the past three months. This is more than the estimated 3.4 million families, or 18.1 percent, recorded in November last year.
The survey also showed an increase in the number of families which consider themselves poor, from 49 percent in November, to 51 percent, or an estimated 10.4 million families.
The worker group said that even those who are employed are still “not properly compensated” since they are contractuals or casuals paid with “very low wages.”
It also said that these workers are “not protected” by law since they have “no right to join unions,” adding that the current minimum wage of P404 in Metro Manila was way below the P983 family living wage.
“To alleviate hunger and poverty, a meaningful wage increase should be implemented as soon as possible and the government should provide adequate, decent and permanent jobs in the country by supporting and developing our local industries and enterprises,” the group proposed.
The group also urged the government to put in place oil price controls to prevent the steep rise in the prices of basic commodities.