House panel to start deliberations on wage hike tomorrow

The House committee on labor and employment will start tomorrow deliberations on various bills proposing wage adjustments amid the high inflation rate in the country.

- SHEILA CRISOSTOMO

According to panel chair and Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles, the hearings will be done in two categories: one is the “legislated across-the-board” salary hike being proposed in three bills pending before the committee.

The other category pertains to the establishment of a “national minimum wage rate” wherein the process of determining the basic pay under the Labor Code will be amended.

Currently, salary rates are determined by tripartite regional wage boards considering local economic conditions, inflation and capability of employers balanced against the needs of workers.

Nograles said at a press briefing that Speaker Martin Romualdez had directed the committee to look for a reasonable wage increase as some congressmen see the P100 legislated wage hike passed by the Senate to be inadequate for workers.

Some House members are proposing a daily wage hike ranging from P150 to P350 to allow workers to cope with rising costs.