My Net Take Home Pay Cannot Take Me Home

LOW WAGE

Article: Employers asked to agree to P125 wage increase

Source: Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation

Author: Hannah L. Torregoza

MANILA, Philippines -- Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. Sunday challenged employers to agree to a P125 daily across-the-board wage increase or settle to double the payment benefits of their personnel.

Revilla said that it is high time the employers increase the salary of their employees who have been seriously eroded over the years as “cost of living” run parallel to the price of basic commodities such as oil, food, basic goods and services which are shooting up incessantly.

The senator has filed Senate Bill No. 1981 which seeks a P125 increase in the salary rate of employees and workers in the private sector and is now pushing for its passage in the Senate.

In pushing for the measure, Revilla pointed out that it is the policy of the Senate to alleviate the living conditions of ordinary Filipinos, including the working class, by ensuring the right of labor in the fruits of production.

“Prices of basic commodities and services are jacking up. Our government must show that it is living up to it is promises, and not merely saying words that are nice to hear without actually backing them up with action,” Revilla said.

The government must recognize the importance of the labor force in the national economy and in return, must ensure that they are receiving proper compensation from their decent work.

“We must guarantee the workers’ right to a living salary and promote social justice through the adoption of measures calculated to ascertain the well being and economic security of all the members of the community,” he said.

“Our citizens, especially the common laborers, must be aided from the impact of inflation. Waiting for the half-year before resolving the issue of wage increase would mean negligence on the part of the government,” added Revilla.

Reaction:

                Anyone who has struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor. Unfortunately, for us Filipinos, we know exactly how it feels since our economic have always been dwindling due to corruption, inflation and other facets of economic downfall which eventually leads to poverty. Poverty has become a gigantic monster that thwarts the dreams of every family living in a wage which they can’t even live with. Low wage is apparently a long time problem which seems to have passed in every president’s table but despite the efforts, still it remains unresolved simply because one man’s wage increase is another man’s price increase.

                People all over the country are now clamoring for a P125 across-the-board wage increase in accordance with the Senate Bill No.1981 to provide immediate economic relief to Filipino workers and the people who are reeling from increasing prices of basic goods and increase in fares. Personally, I am amenable with the wage increase since it is indeed impossible nowadays to survive while all the basic commodities are getting costly. Amidst the escalating prices of petroleum, goods and services, workers need something that would alleviate poverty and would boost their enthusiasm to work even harder. Hence, preventing these people to commit anomalies in their respective institutions since poverty pushes people to go astray which eventually leads to the decline of the economic status of the country. The wage increase is also reasonable given that workers are paid for a day, unlike other countries which pays for an hour. In my point of view, it is not really a big deal to grant workers an additional salary; it is rather a strategy because it’s the government which will benefit in return. I remember what Julius Caesar did to expand his empire. He considered the welfare of his army by giving them what they deserve and in return, his army fought skillfully provided that they are fighting for a cost. Relatively, let us not forget the significance of the workforce. That government exists, because its system continues and run by the workers. Hence, it will be selfish and shameful to withhold such wealth while the entire country is suffering from poverty. The mainstream here is that if this wage increase will be pursued, then basically it will support more families and breadwinners will not need to go abroad anymore, thus keeping the basic unit of the society solid and unified.

                In addition, if there will be P125 across-the-board wage increase, the workers will not anymore bewail outside the streets to protest and demonstrate. Also, the employees will not be tempted anymore for bribery and other under the table deals. However, striving for a higher salary standardization to cope up with the escalating prices of basic commodities would entail price control act and oil deregulation in order not to defeat the purpose of providing wider opportunities to savor a better life for Filipino families. This would be a tough road especially for those who are on the table and has the power to decide. But if all these will be truly done without any pretense, certainly no one will ever say again “my net take home pay, cannot take me home”.