Escudero: Senate not prioritizing P200 daily wage increase

Senate President Francis Escudero says bills proposing a P200 daily wage increase are not a priority for the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), criticizing House lawmakers for pushing it without discussing it with LEDAC.

The Senate has already approved a P100 wage hike bill, and Escudero noted that the bicameral conference will be held once the Senate receives the copy of the House bill passed on third reading on Wednesday, June 4.

Former Senate President Miguel Zubiri warned that a P200 increase could lead businesses to cut jobs or automate, suggesting it may face presidential veto due to its potential economic implications.

Senator Joel Villanueva called for the House of Representatives to provide a copy of HB 11376 so he can review its basis and avoid giving false hopes to workers.

Labor groups such as Partido Manggagawa and the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition have trooped to the Senate, calling for the immediate convening of the bicameral committee to come up with a final version of the wage hike measure.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed interest in examining the economic implications of the P200 wage hike bill before making any decisions.