Labor groups stage protest, cry P40 wage hike for NCR workers ‘not enough’

Protest action by members of labor groups KMU Metro Manila, Alma Kontraktwal and Defend Job Philippines for higher wages and against another round of fuel price hikes by oil companies held outside the Department of Trade and Industry main office. (INQUIRER file photo/LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Several members of labor groups have questioned the government’s intention to provide a P40 increase in the minimum wage of private sector workers in Metro Manila.

They describe the amount as meager, noting that it is insufficient to sustain their families.

For this reason, workers’ groups led by Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Kilos Na Manggagawa (KNM) staged a protest on Monday, in front of Nepa Q Mart in Quezon City.

KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis asked the public to denounce the administration’s supposed lack of concern towards the laborers.

He also called on the government to check the welfare of workers outside Metro Manila since the wage hike was only for National Capital Region.

“Di pa tayo tapos. Simula pa lang ito,” he warned.

(We are not yet done. This is just the start.)

“Barya-baryang minimum sa manggagawa, pero bilyon-bilyon sa malalaking kapitalista? Hindi pwedeng ganyan habambuhay!” he aired his dismay.

(A minimum of coins to workers, but billions for big capitalists? That cannot be the case through a lifespan.)

“Sa mga manggagawa sa labas ng Metro Manila, patuloy po natin kalampagin ang regional wage boards para gawing makabuluhan ang dagdag-sahod sa bawat rehiyon,” Adonis urged workers.

(For workers outside Metro Manila, let us continue to ring the bell for regional wage boards so that they will make the wage increase meaningful in each region.)

Meanwhile, KNM spokesperson Julie Ann Gutierrez said it appears BBM — or the initials of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. — has a new meaning – binarat (cheaply bargained), binalewala ang manggagawa (workers were neglected).

‘Yan po ang bagong kahulugan ng BBM sa amin,” she said.

(That is the new meaning of BBM to us.)

“Isang taon na nagpanawagan ng dagdag-sahod ang mga manggagawa,” she recalled.

(One year, workers sought additional wage.)

“Nagsampa kami ng petisyon. Inaral namin. Nakipagtalakayan at konsultahan. Tapos, basta-basta na lang di tutugunan ang aming hinaing?” Gutierrez lamented.

(We filed a petition. We studied it. We discussed it and made consultations. Then, they would just not listen to our pleas?)

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