A leader of the House of Representatives on Monday said it is high time to raise the daily minimum wage to provide Filipinos a “lifeline” as they suffer the “dual shock” of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic and the unabated oil price hikes.

Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera made the statement as she lauded the move of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to order a review of the minimum wages across the country amid soaring fuel prices.

“We fully support Secretary Bello’s directive to all regional wage boards to expedite the review of minimum wages to help workers and their families weather the current oil crisis,” Herrera said in a statement.

Herrera agreed with Bello that the current PHP537 daily minimum wage in the National Capital Region (NCR) may no longer cope with the price of basic commodities, such as food, electricity and water bills.

“It is imperative to provide workers and their families with the means to cope with increasing costs of living, without hampering the growth and development of business and industry,” Herrera said.

She is expecting that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) would come up with “reasonable and acceptable wage hikes in their respective jurisdictions.”

Herrera said she would be willing to propose a piece of legislation in the House of Representatives to help the executive department in easing the impact of rising oil prices on workers.

“If there’s anything I can do as a legislator, I want Secretary Bello and the Executive to know that they have my support and I’m very much willing to push in Congress whatever legislation they espouse that would provide relief to our workers in these trying times,” Herrera said.

The House Committee on Labor and Employment will be discussing the possibility of wage increases and continuing its deliberations over measures seeking to institutionalize a national minimum wage for private sector workers on March 17.

House Bill (HB) Nos. 246, 276, 541, 668, 2878, 6668, 6752, which all propose to amend the Labor Code of the Philippines to institutionalize a national minimum wage for private sector workers, will be part of the meeting’s agenda.

Last week, Bello said he has ordered all wage boards across the country to look into the need to increase the salaries of workers amid soaring oil prices.

Bello said the fuel price hikes which have been worsened by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine may be a compelling ground for the wage boards to recommend adjustments in the minimum wages of workers. (PNA)