Palace Defends President Marcos on P200 Legislated Wage Hike
Malacañang strongly denied claims that President Marcos is blocking the P200 legislated wage hike currently pending in Congress. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro affirmed that the President respects the ongoing deliberations and fully supports what benefits Filipino workers.
The four-word keyphrase “P200 legislated wage hike” appeared early as Castro responded to accusations from the Kabataan Partylist. They alleged that President Marcos was “killing” the wage hike bill to protect wealthy businessmen, insisting that a single presidential order could have made the increase happen.
During a press briefing on June 13, Castro firmly rejected these claims. “Diktador ba ang Pangulong Marcos Jr.? Hindi naman po,” she stated, emphasizing the President’s respect for the separation of powers. She urged the public to let Congress handle the matter without interference.
Annual Wage Reviews Continue Despite Pending Bill
Castro reminded the public that wage adjustments already happen annually through the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards. “Taon-taon naman po ay inaaral po ito ng Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards at sa bawat rehiyon, sa bawat lugar ay nagkakaroon po ng increase ng mga sweldo o sahod ang ating mga kababayan,” she explained.
Although the P200 legislated wage hike bill awaits final approval, the President is not opposed to raising wages. Castro assured, “Ang Pangulo naman po hindi tutol sa increase—sa wage hike—dahil ito po naman ay makakabuti sa mga manggagawa.”
Congress Advances P200 Legislated Wage Hike; President Considers Impact
The House of Representatives recently approved the P200 legislated wage hike on its third and final reading. The Senate had passed its version last year. Despite this progress, the President has not yet endorsed or committed to signing the bill, highlighting the need to find a fair and practical solution.
“Nais po ng Pangulo na maibigay ang nararapat at mas makakabuti sa manggagawang Pilipino,” Castro said, underlining the President’s commitment to workers’ welfare.
The proposed P200 increase would override the current regional wage-setting system administered by tripartite wage boards. President Marcos raised concerns in January about how this change would fit with existing mechanisms, noting the need to study its effects carefully.
He said, “The thing is, we have a tripartite board that actually determines the increase in the wage. So, we still have to study it further to see how that will work together.” Marcos also acknowledged rising prices and inflation as factors to consider.
Balancing Workers’ Needs and Small Business Concerns
Labor groups have long pushed for a nationwide wage hike, criticizing regional boards for slow adjustments and wages that fall below living costs. Meanwhile, employers warn that a mandated increase could force smaller businesses to reduce employees or even close.
Some sectors also cautioned that legislated wage hikes might accelerate inflation.
President Marcos has expressed support for salary increases but remains mindful of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He explained, “Iyong malalaking korporasyon, kaya nila ‘yan. Kahit anong increase ang ilagay niyo kaya nila ‘yan. Pero ‘yung maliliit, iyon ang inaalala ng mga iba.”
He added that small business owners fear losing employees because their earnings won’t rise enough to cover higher wages: “Pag tinaas yung minimum wage, mababawasan ang kanilang empleyado kasi ganoon pa rin yung pera nila.”
President Marcos Calls for Careful Study of Wage Increase
In January, Marcos stressed the importance of resolving legal and economic issues before implementing the increase. “Palagay ko naman there is a way to increase that, but we have to resolve the legal issues, we have to resolve the economic issues. So, it still deserves a great deal of study,” he remarked.
He also highlighted the government’s intent to assist ordinary Filipinos while balancing the concerns of various stakeholders.
As the P200 legislated wage hike moves through Congress, the administration seeks a solution that fairly benefits workers without harming small businesses or fueling inflation.
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