Senator Villanueva pushes implementation of P85 wage hike

Senator Joel Villanueva on Friday called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to enforce Wage Order No. 27, which provides a P85 increase, instead of implementing a separate wage order granting a P60 hike.

Villanueva, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Labor, said the issuance of another wage order has left workers uncertain about which increase should take effect.

He argued that Wage Order No. 27 should be implemented because it went through the required procedures and consultations with affected stakeholders.

“This is precisely why the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should implement Wage Order No. 27 or the P85 wage increase, which underwent the proper process and was subjected to consultations with stakeholders,” he added.

Villanueva said the P25 gap between the two wage increases should not be dismissed, particularly for workers in the National Capital Region who are coping with rising prices and living expenses.

He also questioned the issuance of another wage order as a response to the dispute, citing Article 126 of the Labor Code, which prohibits courts from issuing a temporary restraining order or injunction against a wage order.

According to Villanueva, existing rules also allow only one wage order to be issued within a 12-month period unless a “supervening event” occurs that would warrant another wage adjustment.

The senator warned the government against taking shortcuts in the wage-setting process, saying workers who have been anticipating an increase should not be given expectations that may not be fulfilled.

Villanueva said the dispute over the wage orders highlights the need to observe due process in determining pay increases, especially as Filipino workers continue to face higher living costs.

He also reiterated his push for the passage of the Living Wage Act, a measure he principally authored during the 20th Congress.

The proposed law seeks to provide clearer standards for setting wages by taking into account the actual and prevailing cost of living, according to Villanueva.

-Paraluman News