Following the announcement of a 50-peso daily wage increase for National Capital Region (NCR) workers, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go filed a bill and called for the passage of a legislated daily wage hike proposing a PhP 100 across-the-board increase.
Go, emphasizing the struggles of Filipino workers amid increasing prices and limited wage adjustments, filed the bill on Monday, June 30, the very first day of the 20th Congress. The senator stressed that even the smallest amount holds immense value for laborers.
“Alam n’yo, bawat piso, bawat sentimo ay napakahalaga po sa ordinaryong manggagawa. Kaya dapat taasan na po ito,” Go said in an ambush interview.
He pointed out that the PhP 50 wage increase recently approved for workers in the National Capital Region may be insufficient given current economic conditions.
“Kulang ‘yung singkwenta sa NCR sa totoo lang. Habang tumataas ‘yung bilihin ay kulang po ‘yung singkwenta. Kaya sana po’y maipasa itong isang daan (piso),” he stated.
The PhP 50 increase was approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board for Metro Manila workers earlier this June. While the adjustment will take effect in July, labor groups and several lawmakers have argued that it falls short of addressing the daily cost-of-living burden faced by ordinary workers, especially in urban areas.
In the 19th Congress, Go co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill No. 2534, which proposed the same daily minimum wage hike nationwide. The Senate had already approved the measure before the previous Congress adjourned. The bill, however, failed to advance due to a lack of a final agreement between both chambers.
“‘Yun naman po ang ipinasa rito noong 19th Congress at I’m willing po na pag-usapan po ito. Kung ano po ‘yung nararapat sa panahon po ngayon habang nagtataas po ng bilihin, kailangan po tumaas ang sweldo po ng mga manggagawa,” he said.
“At dapat nga noon pa ito eh, nandidiyan na, ipinasa na namin dito. Hindi ko lang po maintindihan kung bakit hindi nagkasundo ‘yung bicam at hindi naipasa. Sayang naman, pinaghirapan natin ito na maipasa,” Go added.
Asked whether he is confident the wage hike proposal would advance this time, Go expressed hope that legislators will prioritize this in response to the needs of Filipino workers.
“Sana po. Trabaho naman tayo rito, huwag nating sayangin ‘yung oras natin. Kaya tayo nandirito para magtrabaho at ibigay po ‘yung nararapat sa Pilipino,” he said.
Go also reaffirmed his legislative priorities, highlighting his continued focus on proposals that aim to address the needs of vulnerable Filipinos.
“Asahan n’yo po, sa mga manggagawa, sumusuporta po ako sa wage hike at susuportahan ko ‘yung mga pro poor programs na dapat po’y ‘yung mga ordinaryong Pilipino po ang makikinabang. Ang mga isinusulong nating panukalang batas ay nakatutok po ito sa mga pangangailangan po ng mga mahihirap,” he stated.
Go personally submitted his priority measures on Monday, June 30, underscoring his long-standing advocacy for pro-poor legislation and the institutionalization of social support systems for Filipinos in need.
The ten priority bills filed by Go are as follows:
- Expand Tertiary Education Subsidy
- PhilHealth ID Health Card
- Regionalize the National Academy of Sports
- New Medical Technology Law
- Department of Disaster Resilience
- Indigent Jobseekers Assistance
- Across-the-board Wage Hike
- Mental Health Offices in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs)
- Rural Employment Assistance or TUPAD Bill
- Magna Carta for Barangays
To date, Go has authored 19 laws and principally sponsored 94 laws, including 92 measures that establish or upgrade public hospitals nationwide — underscoring his longstanding commitment to improving healthcare access. He has also co-authored or co-sponsored 191 other laws in pursuit of the welfare of various sectors.
“Patuloy po akong magseserbisyo sa ating mga kababayan sa abot ng aking makakaya. Salamat po,” concluded Go.