Senatorial candidate Rey Langit described the country’s current minimum wage as already "outdated," but he cautioned against implementing salary hikes despite increasing prices of commodities.
"Sa totoo lang, outdated na yung minimum wage ng ating mga kababayan na P537," he told DZRH in an interview.
(Honestly, the P537 minimum wage of our countrymen is already outdated.)
However, he stressed that lawmakers should still be careful on increasing wages in consideration of smaller businesses.
Langit said that those who might not be able to handle the proposed wage hikes could retrench employees.
"Hindi naman dapat na padalos-dalos din tayo. While it's true na kailangang-kailangan natin ng additional na pambayad sa nagtataasang bilihin, ang ginagawa ng ibang employers kapag halimbawang sila ang masasaktan at tatamaan sa adjustment ng salaries at wages ay magre-retrench sila," he said.
(We should not be reckless. While it’s true that we really need additional pay to increase goods, other employers, for example, retrench employees if they are hit by salary and wage adjustments.)
"Merong tatamaan at tatamaang empleyado," he added.
(Employees will be hit regardless.)
According to Langit, the tripartite wage board should be finished with its evaluation on how much adjustment should be made in terms of salary before the next legislators assume office.
"Dapat lang bago pumasok ang bagong legislators ay tapos na 'yung review ng tripartite wage board sa bawat region para ma-determine natin exactly kung ano ang dapat na adjustment na magawa natin [based] doon sa capability ng employer," he said.
(The tripartite wage board should be done with its regional review before new legislators come in order to determine how much adjustment must be made in consideration of the employer’s capability.)
He made the remarks amid calls from various groups on wage hikes, following increasing prices of commodities, including fuel.
