'Wages must keep pace with commuting costs'

AFTER a fresh round of fare hikes, labor groups are making it clear: if commuting costs are moving up, wages cannot stay stuck.

- BY JUSTINE XYRAH GARCIA

Several labor groups on Wednesday renewed calls for an across-the-board pay increase, saying workers will once again absorb the brunt of rising prices following the latest increase in public transport fares.

The Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) and the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) said the fare adjustment was justified, noting that transport drivers and operators are among the first to feel the impact of surging fuel costs. But they stressed that relief should not stop at the transport sector.

Sentro Secretary General Josua Mata urged Congress to prioritize the proposed P200 across-the-board daily wage increase for minimum wage earners, as this would help cushion workers from the ripple effects of higher transport and commodity prices.

"This will further erode real wages that have stagnated for years. Workers are being squeezed from all sides—higher prices, stagnant pay, and no relief in sight...A wage increase is not just urgent—it is necessary,” Mata told the BusinessMirror.