MANILA, Philippines – Nagkasa ng kilos-protesta sa iba’t ibang lugar sa bansa ang iba-ibang grupo ng mga manggagawa kasabay ng Labor Day ngayong Huwebes, Mayo 1.
Partikular nilang ipinanawagan ang P1,200 living wage at P200 legislated wage hike.
Ayon sa Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), nagsagawa sila ng mga kilos protesta sa Maynila, Baguio City, Pampanga, Laguna, Iloilo, Cebu, at Davao.
“The labor group, its regional counterparts, and allied groups call for a daily minimum wage set at P1,200, which the IBON Foundation computed as the necessary requirement to feed, clothe and shelter a family of five,” ayon sa KMU.
Anila, ang hiling na P1,200 ay isang “urgent, necessary and just measure.”
“[President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s] free train rides and job fairs are mere publicity stunts. What we need is an efficient public transportation system, sufficient wages for our families, and safe and decent jobs,” pahayag ni KMU chairperson Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog.
Samantala, nanawagan din ang Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) para sa P200 legislated wage hike.
“Job fairs, rice subsidies, and free rides, which the President himself stated as ‘a small recognition of the sacrifice and the contribution of our worker,’ are no substitute for the much needed P200 legislated wage hike, which would be the first in over 36 years,” sinabi ng TUCP.
“Hindi po ito usapin kung afford ng ating mga employers. Usapin po ito kung gugustuhin nila at kakayanin po nilang i-share yung kakarampot na portion ng kanilang kita para po sa kanilang manggagawa,” sinabi naman ni TUCP spokesperson Carlos Miguel Oñate sa panayam.
Ipinanawagan nila kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na sertipikahang urgent ang panukala para sa P200 legislated wage hike.
Samantala, binatikos ng KMU ang economic framework ni Marcos na inilalarawan ng privatization ng public services, trade liberalization, at deregulation of key industries “to attract foreign capital at the expense of Filipino workers and people.”
Matatandaan na sinabi ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) na magsisimula ngayong buwan ang pagsusuri ng minimum wage rates sa ilang rehiyon.
“Mula po sa direktiba ng ating Pangulo, magsisimula po ang pagre-review ng mga minimum wage rates ngayon pong Mayo para sa ilang mga rehiyon,” ayon kay DOLE Bureau of Local Employment head Assistant Secretary Patrick P. Patriwirawan Jr. RNT/JGC
