Akbayan Party-list Representative Raffy Cendaña has called on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to immediately certify as urgent the pending bill seeking to increase the minimum wage by ₱200. This appeal comes after the House Committee on Labor approved a substitute bill proposing the wage hike, following recent discussions between House leaders and labor groups to expedite pending wage increase proposals in Congress.
“Tama na ang study-study na ‘yan. Aksyon na ang kailangan! There have been countless studies showing that wage hikes improve workers’ purchasing power, uplift living conditions, and strategically boost productivity,” Cendaña asserted.
He emphasized the need for decisive political will from the President, stressing that delays directly affect the livelihoods of millions of Filipino workers. “We demand the President exercises decisive political will. Hindi na dapat dinedelay ito dahil nakasalalay dito ang ikinabubuhay ng ating mga mamamayan,” he added.
In response to Malacañang’s call for further deliberation, Cendaña countered that the bill has already undergone extensive review.
“Further study only means further suffering. The House Committee has deliberated this measure for 8 months. We don’t need to wait for the regional wage boards to conduct another 8 months of study before taking action to increase the minimum wage,” he concluded.
Cendaña’s remarks highlight growing frustration among labor advocates and workers who are pushing for immediate action to address the rising cost of living and stagnant wages across the country.