Villanueva urges Marcos to certify minimum wage hike

Senator Joel Villanueva has called for President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to certify a Senate bill that would increase the minimum wage by P100, urging urgent action to uplift the standard of living for Filipino workers.

Villanueva emphasized the need to reflect economic growth in 2024 in the well-being of Filipino workers and stressed the importance of ensuring decent living conditions given rising commodity prices.

The senator highlighted that with only nine session days left before Congress adjourns on February 7, quick action is necessary for the bill's enactment.

In February 2024, the Senate approved SB 2534 on third reading to increase the daily minimum wage for private sector workers by P100, while the House committee recently approved a P200 across-the-board daily wage hike.

Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., principal author of SB 2534, expressed hope that the counterpart measure in the lower house would pass before Congress adjourns on February 7.

With ongoing deliberations at the House of Representatives, both chambers aim to reconcile and ratify the wage hike bill within three weeks for the President's signature by the end of the legislative period.