MALAYBALAY CITY (PIA)--Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri filed the Across-the-Board Wage Increase Act of 2023, or Senate Bill No. 2002, which seeks to raise wages of private sector employees in all regions by P150 a day.

"A decent life costs a decent wage. If workers put in long hours of work daily and still cannot afford to pay their rent, bills, and necessities, there is a problem," Zubiri said.

The proposed wage increase is for both agricultural and non-agricultural private sector workers, no matter how big the company is or how many people work there.

He said it is up to the Regional Wages and Productivity Boards to set minimum wages in the private sector, but they can only do this once a year unless there are special circumstances.

At P570 (non-agricultural), the National Capital Region has the highest daily nominal wage rate, and at P316 (non-agricultural), the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has the lowest rate.

Zubiri hopes to address the call for a wage increase from private sector workers across the country with this bill.

"The bill complements the collective bargaining of employees' unions for increased benefits, in line with the rising cost of commodities," the senator explained.

The Philippines recorded its highest inflation rate in 14 years at the start of the year, hitting 8.7 percent. Although there was a slight decline in February to 8.6 percent, Zubiri said economic growth should benefit all Filipinos and not just widen the gap between the rich and poor.

"We want to lift everyone up, broaden our middle-income class, and ensure that every Filipino has the means to enjoy a genuinely decent life. That means empowering people not just to survive but to achieve a comfort level that allows them to pursue their personal goals and interests beyond just their work," Zubiri said. (Office of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri/PIA-10/Bukidnon)