Senator Joel Villanueva is calling on the Marcos administration to certify the legislated wage hike bill as urgent, emphasizing the need to improve the standard of living for Filipino workers.
Villanueva, who serves as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resource Development, underscored that while the Philippine economy grew by 5.6% in 2024, this growth must be reflected in the well-being of the country’s workforce.
“The window for the 19th Congress is slowly closing, which is why we need to speed up discussions and ensure the bill’s enactment before we adjourn,” Villanueva stated.
“Sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin, kailangan rin po nating siguraduhin na may kakayahang mamuhay nang maayos ang ating mga kababayan,” he added, highlighting the impact of rising costs on Filipino families.
Senate Bill No. 2534, also known as the P100 Minimum Wage Hike Increase bill, which Villanueva co-authored, was approved on third reading in the Senate on February 19, 2024. The senator also welcomed the ongoing discussions on the counterpart measure in the House of Representatives stressing the urgency of aligning wages with the cost of living.
“At the end of the day, what is important is that we can match our workers’ wages to the living wage,” he said.
Villanueva also filed Senate Bill No. 2140, which seeks to establish a standard for a living wage to ensure that Filipino workers earn enough to support their families and improve their quality of life.
