Senator Bong Go calls for swift passage of legislated wage hike bill approved by Senate last year, urges Palace and House to act before 19th Congress ends

PHILIPPINES, April 7 - Press Release
April 7, 2025

Senator Bong Go calls for swift passage of legislated wage hike bill approved by Senate last year, urges Palace and House to act before 19th Congress ends

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has renewed his appeal for the timely passage of the proposed legislated wage hike bill, which was already approved by the Senate on third and final reading last year. He expressed concern that further delays--particularly the lack of urgent certification from Malacañang--might hinder progress on a long-standing effort to support Filipino workers.

With the Senate having fulfilled its part, Senator Go emphasized that the measure now awaits action from the House of Representatives and the Executive branch. He respectfully encouraged the President to consider certifying the bill as urgent and expressed hope that the House would act on its counterpart version, noting that final approval within the 19th Congress would help avoid having to restart the process in the next legislative cycle.

"Nagawa na ng Senado ang bahagi nito. Nasa House na ngayon ang pagkakataong kumilos. Umaasa ako na maipapasa natin ito sa tamang panahon dahil nakasalalay dito ang kapakanan ng maraming manggagawang Pilipino," said Senator Go.

The lawmaker from Davao City, who co-sponsored and co-authored Senate Bill No. 2534 seeking a PhP 100 daily minimum wage increase for private sector workers, emphasized that reconciling the Senate version with the House's more generous PhP 200 proposal is now a matter of political will.

"Kung hindi ito mabibigyang-prayoridad, may posibilidad na maramdaman ng ating mga manggagawa na tila naisantabi ang kanilang panawagan," he added.

The senator stated alarming socioeconomic indicators. According to the latest Social Weather Stations survey, 27.2% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger in the past three months--marking the highest rate since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Meanwhile, as of January 2025, 2.16 million Filipinos remain unemployed, translating to a 4.3% unemployment rate. Inflation, while temporarily easing to 2.1% in February, is expected to rise again, as warned by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas due to domestic and global pressures.

For Senator Go, these figures only reinforce the urgency of enacting a meaningful wage adjustment. "Kung dati ang tanong lang ay magkano ang sweldo, ngayon tanong na ng karamihan ay kung may kakainin pa ba bukas. Hindi 'yan dapat pangkaraniwang tanong sa isang bansa na mayaman sa likas na yaman at masisipag na mamamayan," he said.

He acknowledged concerns from small business owners but stressed that there are existing exemptions under the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Law and the Wage Rationalization Act for distressed and micro enterprises.

"Klaro po ang mga batas: may exemption ang maliliit na negosyo, lalo na kung talagang hirap na hirap na sila. Pero hindi dapat sila ang dahilan para ipagkait sa milyon-milyong manggagawa ang dagdag na sweldo na makakatulong sa pagkain, pamasahe, at mga bayarin nila," Senator Go explained.

Labor groups have likewise intensified their calls for immediate executive action. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines has released a series of press statements since March, all urging urgent certification from the President and swift legislative action.

On March 31, the group called for national unity behind the wage hike, emphasizing that "ang kailangan ng taumbayan ay dalawang daan, hindi bangayan," and warned that political bickering has buried the urgent concerns of ordinary workers.

On April 2, they responded to statements by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro. They reminded the administration that Congress already acted and urged President Marcos to rise above distractions and certify the bill as urgent. They also warned that if the measure is not passed in June, the process would restart from scratch in the 20th Congress.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines President and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Mendoza stressed, "Lahat nagtaasan, wala pang dalawang daan," calling the wage hike a lifeline, not a luxury.

Senator Go acknowledged the concerns raised by various labor groups, noting that delays in legislation could contribute to growing frustration among workers who have long waited for relief.

While widely recognized for his efforts to strengthen the country's health sector, Senator Go underscored that the well-being of Filipino workers is deeply tied to the nation's overall health and development.

"Kung hindi sapat ang kita ng mga Pilipino para sa tamang nutrisyon at maayos na pamumuhay, mahirap makamit ang isang malusog at masiglang populasyon. Magkaugnay ang lahat ng ito. At kung nais nating umangat bilang isang bansa, kailangang pagtibayin natin ang pundasyon--ang sahod ng manggagawa," he said.

He concluded by gently renewing his call to the President and House leadership: "Ang kailangan natin ngayon ay mahinahong pagkilos. Hindi natin dapat ipagpaliban ang mga bagay na may direktang epekto sa buhay ng ating mga manggagawa. Nawa'y mapakinggan ang kanilang panawagan, habang may pagkakataon pa tayong tumugon."