P10 wage hike will not buy workers a kilo of rice

Callous and heartless were just some of the words the militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) used to describe Donald Dee, President of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), who said that businessmen are already leaning on a minimum of P10 wage hike for private sector workers in the National Capital Region (NCR). "We are utterly disappointed with Dee 's position. Ten pesos could not even buy a kilo of rice these days."

"Ito ba ang sinasabing makabuluhang dagdag-sahod na pantapat ng mga employers sa P125 kahilingan ng mga manggagawa? Ni hindi pa kasya ang P10 na pambili ng isang kilo ng pinakamababang klase ng bigas na NFA," said KMU Spokesperson Presto Suyat.

Dee said that a minimum of P10 wage hike is most likely but warns that the hike will not exceed P70. The PCCI president also said that the hike is not across-the-board and only for minimum wages.

Because of this, Suyat also expressed apprehension that wage hikes outside NCR may be lower than P10 and maintained that this will not be enough in the face of rising prices. According to him, average take home pay of workers in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) alone only amounts to P180 - this includes P170 minimum wage plus a P10 Emergency Cost of Living Allowance (ECOLA). The daily cost of living in the region for a family of six reaches P872.

"Insulto talaga sa mga obrero ang pahayag ni Dee lalo't lingguhan na ang pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo. Nababaliw na siya kung sasabihin naman niyang walang epekto ito sa presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin. Araw-araw lalong bumababa ang purchasing power ng mga manggagawa" Suyat ended. The prices of gasoline have already increased twelve times this year while diesel have risen nine times.

The group also said that a P10 wage hike cannot even buy a can of sardines which now cost a minimum of P11-P13. The amount may only buy an egg and a pack of instant noodles.