No to 14th month pay, yes to minimum wage – bishop

MANILA, Aug. 11, 2016– Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on the Laity (CBCP-ECL), gave a thumbs down to Senate Bill no. 2, filed by Senator Tito Sotto, while demanding the implementation of the minimum wage rate and the abolishment of regionalized salaries.

In his statements, the prelate believes the said bill, which entitles non-government rank and file employees to receive 14th month pay once passed, will only benefit some while ignoring the true need for salary increase.

“The first thing we should do is at least implement the minimum wage. Execute minimum wage and then walk towards living wage. That (bill), only few will benefit if a 14th month pay will be given while not everyone is receiving a minimum salary,” explained the prelate.

In an interview over Veritas, Pabillo noted that instead of prioritizing Sotto’s bill, the government must first eradicate regionalization that causes unfair wage rates across regions and then to implement the minimum wage rate in the country to meet the living wage.

“We know that the living wage is about one thousand per day, our minimum [wage] now is only Php 491 … and hopefully, our minimum wage now will not be regionalized but be implemented all over the country,” he added.

According to the research group IBON Foundation, the living wage now is at least Php 1088 per month exclusive of education and hospital emergency expenses, clearly not enough to meet the daily needs of a family. (Kevin Cariño/CBCPNews)

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