MANILA, Philippines- Nanawagan ang Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) nitong Linggo sa pamahalaan na dagdagan din ang sweldo ng government workers kasunod ng pagtaas ng minimum wage para sa private sector workers sa Metro Manila ng P40 nitong nakaraang linggo.
“It is similarly urgent and important for the government also to raise the salaries of public school teachers and all other government employees as they also bear the brunt of the continually high inflation and expected more hikes in electricity, water, and transportation costs. Not to mention teachers’ low salaries in comparison to other professions such as nurses and uniformed personnel,” giit ni ACT Chairperson Vladimir Quetua nitong Linggo.
“The best the government can do to fulfill its constitutional and most fundamental mandate to its people is to recognize the real conditions of workers and employees, enact living wages across all sectors, strengthen the local economy, and heed the people’s longstanding demand for national industrialization,” dagdag niya.
Nitong Hunyo 29, inanunsyo ng Department of Labor and Employment na inaprubahan ng wage board nito sa Metro Manila ang P40 minimum wage increase para sa mga manggagawa sa private establishments.
Dinala nito ang minimum wage sa rehiyon “from P570 to P610 for the non-agriculture sector and from P533 to P573 for the agriculture sector, service and retail establishments employing 15 or less workers, and manufacturing establishments regularly employing less than 10 workers,” base sa DOLE.
Subalit, sinabi ng ACT na ang dagdag sa sahod ay “mere token” at hindi sapat upang tugunan ang pagtaas ng cost of living ng Filipino workers sa private sector.
“This meager increase remains inadequate in providing workers with a living wage, falling significantly short of meeting the Php1,160 family living wage a 5-member Filipino family needs to survive. This measure is a pittance and a slap in the face of workers who are the backbone of our economy,” giit ni Quetua. RNT/SA
