Senate President Zubiri on Wednesday slammed Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) for being weak and “incredibly slow” to act in the demand of workers for a wage hike.
Speaking during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum Wednesday, Zubiri said that the government has systems in place so that wage increases do not have to pass through the Senate or Congress.
“We have assigned this to regional wage boards. But let’s face it; these regional wage boards are weak. They move incredibly slowly,” he pointed out.
“If workers didn’t cry out and rally to our regional wage boards, they would not make any move. And if they do take action, they implement P16 or P15 daily increases. What can our citizens eat with P15?” Zubiri said.
The Senate President cited the National Wages and Productivity Commission under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) which provides that the regional wage boards are mandated to “determine and fix minimum wage rates in their respective regions” and “undertake research and studies on wages and productivity.”
He said the Senate might decide on specific inflation rate or price hike markers that would signal to wage boards an immediate need to convene and implement wage adjustment measures.
“We need to review triggers to call for a wage hike. Because right now, they will meet when necessary. It appears to me that they just hold a meeting when they need to meet if there are petititons or increases such as high inflation rates,” Zubiri said.
Meanwhile, ahead of the National Health Workers’ Day commemoration on May 7, health workers from various public and private hospitals yesterday pressed the Marcos administration to heed their long-time demands for wage increase, mass hiring and regularization of contractual health workers, release overdue COVID-19 benefits, and uphold their rights and welfare.
They call their group as Health Workers United for Wage Fight (HWUWF).
“We, health workers are committed to serve the Filipino people. But even as we pledge to serve our countrymen, we face the harsh realities
of worsening economic conditions, increasing cost of basic commodities and the rising inflation rate that erodes the meager value of our
current wages,” said the health workers.
Just like many ordinary Filipinos, the health workers said they wanted to satisfy their basic needs for healthy food and enough clothing.
“We also dreamed of having a decent shelter, acquire quality education for our children, afford our medical needs and save for our future. “
they said.
They demanded for a P33,000.00 entry salary of SG1 health workers and P1,100.00/day for private health workers.
“While we health workers demand for wage hike, our much deserved and long-overdue benefits like the Health Emergency Allowance are not yet
provided until now,” they said.
More so, while there are 21,038 vacant plantilla positions in the DOH, many from their ranks are hired as contractuals or with no permanent
positions.
The insisted that contractualization policy among health workers must stop.
“We play a very essential and vital role in the hospitals as we help treat diseases and save lives of our countrymen. Thus, contractual
health workers must be regularized. “
They pointed out that thr increasing number of non-COVID and COVID-19 cases are extremely alarming, and yet they are still having shortage
of health workers due to low wages, no job security, unpaid benefits and chronic understaffing.
