A party-list legislator has reiterated the commitment of the House of Representatives to lowering the cost of living in the country and providing more social services to Filipinos.
“We are not only looking at salary increases but how much we will respond to the increase in the price of goods and fees,” Rep. Ray T. Reyes of AnaKalugan party-list group said.
“Here in Congress, apart from the increase in wages, we can offer the public an additional value: we will also fight for the decrease in the price of expenses: the cheap prices, low electricity, and free treatment,” he said.
The vice chair of the House Committee on Health said easing the cost of living will enable Filipinos to save and invest in other areas of their lives.
“We will not only look at the wage hike here. It’s not just how much the salary is but how much we save after paying our bills. We are monitoring all aspects in Congress,” he added.
“This is the beauty of having a Congress that encompasses all aspects of the lives of the Filipinos, we could do it better. Having a responsive and quick to the results Congress assures the public that the Congressmen here not only address just one aspect but the whole dimension of what it means to live in a sustainable society.”
According to Reyes, the House of Representatives is currently looking at a P150 – P350 daily minimum wage increase for all private sector workers which is higher than the P100 proposed by the Senate.
He said that while the House of Representatives recognizes the need to support workers, it also must ensure sustainability for businesses.
“I believe the initial proposal is 100 pesos. Sa amin po and based on street opinion, most of the MSMEs can tolerate a certain amount. However, we have to test where the balance point is para sa wage hike,” he said.
(In our opinion and based on street opinion, most of the MSMEs can tolerate a certain amount. However, we have to test where the balance point is for the wage hike) Maricel V. Cruz
“We are definitely not taking the potential repercussions of wage increase on employment rates and business viability lightly. We will not rush and we will make sure that we only pass legislation that is beneficial for the long term,” he added.