The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill that seeks to increase the daily wage of private sector workers by P200.
House Bill No. 11376, or the “Wage Hike For Minimum Wage Workers Act,” mandates that all minimum wage earners in the private sector, regardless of employment status, will receive the additional pay. The measure applies to workers in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, including those under contractual and sub-contractual arrangements.
The bill also allows Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards to grant further increases in line with the Wage Rationalization Act. Meanwhile, small businesses may access Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) incentives to help them meet the new wage requirement.
Violators of the proposed law could face fines ranging from P100,000 to P500,000 or imprisonment between two to four years.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) welcomed the bill, calling it a significant wage increase not seen since 1989. TUCP Party-list Representative Raymond Democrito Mendoza described the approval as a “great leap forward” for Filipino workers.
