MANILA, Philippines — The Administration Affiliation of the Philippines (MAP) is pushing for the conduct of additional consultations on the proposed P200 day by day minimal wage improve to correctly assess its influence on the economic system.
In a press release signed by MAP president Alfredo Panlilio and nationwide points committee chair Rene Almendras on Sunday, the enterprise group emphasised that whereas it helps initiatives geared toward enhancing the lives of minimal wage staff and their households, it opposes the P200 improve within the day by day minimal wage for the non-public sector.
“Since setting a minimal wage is a really complicated course of the place many components should be taken into consideration, we name on the bicameral convention committee of the Home and the Senate to conduct additional consultations with all affected sectors, like employers, staff, shoppers and concerned businesses, earlier than reaching a choice,” MAP said.
The group additionally urged the bicameral committee to fastidiously contemplate the potential results of the measure on inflation and companies, significantly small enterprises which are nonetheless struggling to outlive.
Furthermore, MAP really useful conducting complete research to find out whether or not a nationwide or regional minimal wage construction can be extra acceptable.
“Our fundamental drawback shouldn’t be low wages, however excessive prices. We consider that spotlight ought to be given to the wage-to-cost ratio, not simply wages,” MAP mentioned.
It famous that the Philippines has the third highest minimal wage in Asia, coupled with the very best prices for meals, electrical energy, transportation and housing.
To reinforce the nation’s competitiveness and enhance general productiveness, MAP referred to as on each the chief and legislative branches of presidency to prioritize efforts to scale back these fundamental prices.
“We additionally make an enchantment to employers to assist alleviate the plight of minimal wage earners by implementing pressing measures, like paying their staff’ share in SSS (Social Safety System), Pag-IBIG (Dwelling Improvement Mutual Fund) and PhilHealth (Philippine Well being Insurance coverage Corp.) contributions, and sharing with their staff not less than 20 % of their organizations’ web earnings earlier than tax,” MAP mentioned.
The labor-related stress in Congress comes because the Philippines stays among the many 10 worst international locations for staff, in response to the 2025 World Rights Index launched by the Worldwide Commerce Union Confederation (ITUC).
For the ninth consecutive 12 months, the nation acquired a rating of 5 within the ITUC’s World Rights Index. This means that staff have “no assure of rights” regardless of having labor legal guidelines on paper.
Additional, it famous that staff and unions within the Philippines “exist in a day by day battle to train even probably the most fundamental rights in a venomous atmosphere of endemic harassment, violence and dying.”
“This duplicitous technique places staff and activists at direct danger whereas deterring others from becoming a member of or forming unions,” the ITUC said. “Regardless of worldwide calls to finish red-tagging, the federal government has proven little political will to guard union leaders or promote a local weather conducive to the wholesome functioning of unions.”
The World Rights Index is a evaluation of staff’ rights in regulation throughout 151 international locations worldwide. Nations obtain a rating based mostly on a scale from 1 to five+, with 1 being the very best.
Apart from the Philippines, 9 different international locations had been recognized because the worst international locations for staff. These had been Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tunisia and Turkiye.
“Nations with the ranking of 5 are the worst international locations on the earth to work in. Whereas the laws could spell out sure rights, staff have successfully no entry to those rights and are due to this fact uncovered to autocratic regimes and unfair labor practices,” the ITUC famous.
In comparison with the earlier 12 months, the one change within the record of worst international locations for staff was the addition of Nigeria, which took the place of Guatemala.
Sen. Joel Villanueva mentioned the Home of Representatives has but to transmit to the Senate the invoice for an across-the-board P200 wage hike.