Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo on Sunday batted for a P650 national minimum wage to help workers, especially those from the private sector, cope with the escalating prices of basic commodities.
He said wages of workers from different regions vary from one another even if all of them continue to suffer from the rising prices of goods.
“Our proposal is for the whole (workers) since concerns differ depending the place of the worker. Basic minimum wages differ, too,” he said.
He lamented that salaries of employees in the private sector employee are lagging behind the salaries of government workers.
“They are not just being left behind. They have different wages, unlike those in the government, no matter what region one is from, they all receive the same salaries,” he said.
“Those in the private sector, they receive different salaries amid rising prices of commodities,” Salo added.
Salo said increasing in the minimum daily wage to P650 across the board would help deter workers from working abroad.
“More job opportunities must be created in the country so Pinoys don’t have to work abroad. The Filipino would naturally prefer to be close to family and remain in the Philippines. A higher minimum wage would make more Pinoys stay in their hometowns,” he said.