A statement from Senator Alan Peter Cayetano: living wage, humane society

PHILIPPINES, May 1 - Press Release
May 1, 2025

A STATEMENT FROM SENATOR ALAN PETER CAYETANO: LIVING WAGE, HUMANE SOCIETY

The kind of society we aspire for is embodied in the preamble of our Constitution. The hope of building a just and humane society will begin once we look beyond simply providing a minimum wage, and start aiming for a living wage for all Filipinos.

While many factors contribute to building that ideal society-- rules based peace and order, reliable and affordable public utilities, free healthcare--the debate over wages remains.

The business sector argues that increasing minimum wage could lead to closures, particularly among small enterprises. Regional workers question why their work is less valued than their urban counterparts. Parents are forced to choose between staying with their children, or working abroad to provide for them. And millions of farmers, who for generations have relied on what they can grow from the land, are being lured to the city by the promise of a regular salary.

Then while the policy makers go on and on in endless, paralyzing cycles of debates, our people are left to suffer as we wrestle with finding a just and permanent solution to these labor and wages issues.

In my experience, as with Sen. Pia and Senate President Chiz's, these are in nature the same arguments we faced with education. But with EDCOM 1 and 2, we were able to successfully bring together key stakeholders and produced effective, concrete, and actionable recommendations to address the learning crisis.

This Monday, I will file a bill to create an Executive-Legislative Labor Commission. This body will convene representatives from Congress, the Executive branch, MSMEs, trade and industry, and the labor sector to collectively pursue a sustainable solution to the living wage issue. This would provide a comprehensive look at what the real wage should be, taking into account the actual expenses of a family for education, health, among others.

Not only will this bring us closer to realizing the just and humane society envisioned by our Constitution, it will also help end the endless stream of Filipinos who are forced to leave their homes and families for what they hope would be greener economic pastures continue.

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SAPAT NA SAHOD, MAKATAONG LIPUNAN

Malinaw na nakasaad sa preamble ng ating Saligang Batas ang uri ng lipunang hinahangad natin. Ang pagbuo ng isang makatarungan at makataong lipunan ay magsisimula kapag hindi na lang tayo nakatuon sa pagbibigay ng minimum wage, kundi sa pagbibigay ng living wage o sahod na sapat para mabuhay ang bawat Pilipino.

Maraming aspeto ang kailangang ayusin para makamit ito, kabilang ang peace and order, reliable service para sa kuryente at tubig, at libreng serbisyong pangkalusugan. Pero paulit-ulit pa rin ang usapin tungkol sa sahod.

Ayon sa mga negosyante, baka magsara ang maliliit na negosyo kapag tinaasan ang minimum wage. Sa mga lalawigan naman, nagtatanong ang mga manggagawa kung bakit mas mababa ang sahod nila kumpara sa mga nasa siyudad.

Marami ring mga magulang ang napipilitang mamili kung mananatili ba sila sa piling ng kanilang pamilya o mangibang-bansa para mabigyan sila ng magandang buhay. At milyon-milyong magsasaka ang naiiwan sa probinsya, umaasa pa rin sa ani mula sa lupa, pero naaakit nang lumuwas ng Maynila dahil sa pangakong mas tiyak na kita.

Habang nagpapatuloy ang walang katapusang diskusyon ng mga policy makers, ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino ang patuloy na naghihirap, naghihintay ng makatarungan at pangmatagalang solusyon sa problema sa sahod at trabaho.

Base sa aming karanasan nina Senator Pia at Senate President Chiz, ganito rin ang naging hamon noon sa sektor ng edukasyon. Pero sa pamamagitan ng EDCOM 1 at 2, napagsama-sama namin ang mga pangunahing sektor at nakabuo ng mga kongkreto at epektibong rekomendasyon para tugunan ang learning crisis.

Sa darating na Lunes, magsusumite ako ng panukala para lumikha ng isang Executive-Legislative Labor Commission. Dito, magsasama-sama ang mga kinatawan mula sa Kongreso, executive department, maliliit na negosyo, at sektor ng manggagawa upang pag-usapan at hanapan ng pangmatagalang solusyon ang isyu ng living wage.

Pag-aaralan din dito kung ano ang tunay na kailangang sahod batay sa aktwal na gastusin ng isang pamilya--tulad ng sa edukasyon, kalusugan, at iba pa.

Hindi lang nito tayo ilalapit sa pangarap nating makataong lipunan, kundi makakatulong din itong pigilan ang patuloy na pag-alis ng mga kababayan natin para lamang makahanap ng mas magandang kita sa ibang bansa.