Kilusang Mayo Uno welcomed the recent pronouncement of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines urging the review of the EVAT and the oil deregulation law. 

“We are pleased that our bishops have now heeded the woes of the people,” said Elmer labog, KMU Chairperson. 

“However, if we are talking about temporary relief measures, the CBCP should also call for the urgent passage of a substantial wage hike.” 

Labog added that while the CBCP’s position is just to review the policies on taxation and oil deregulation, KMU and other progressive people’s orgs have been firm in demanding the suspension of EVAT on oil and the repeal of the oil Deregulation Law. 

“But on the need for a wage hike, we guess a ‘review’ is not needed anymore,” Labog said. 

Government data itself show that the current P382 NCR minimum wage, one of the highest at that, is not even half of the P871 living wage. 

“Even the 11.4% inflation rate from last year, a 14-year record high, can be a very modest estimate, since government clandestinely changes the bases for the consumer price index every time. 

“We also hope that the CBCP will not entrust a ‘review’ for a wage hike to the regional wage boards. They have been reviewing the supposed appropriate amount of wage hikes for two decades now, and they have consistently came up with adjustments way below what is due for the workers. 

“As shepherds of the people, they must know that a legislated substantial hike across-the-board is the only true wage increase their constituents should hope for.” 

Labog also enjoined the CBCP to join the Unity For P125 alliance, in which their fellow faith-based leaders are founding convenors, such as the United Christian Churches in the Philippines, and the Young Christian Workers of the Philippines. 

Labog also recalled the support of late Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin to the call for a P125 legislated wage hike at the height of the campaign last year 2000. ###