Call for wage hike renewed

MANILA, Philippines — The Trade Union Congress of the Philippine (TUCP) has renewed its call for a wage hike amid the ongoing increases in the prices of fuel prices and basic commodities.

TUCP spokesperson Rafael Mapalo made the statement in an interview yesterday as they appealed to the National Wage and Productivity Commission (NWPC) to pass a wage hike after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LFTRB) approved the one peso temporary fare increases for buses.
“We appeal to the Regional Tripartite Wage Productivity Board (RTWPB) and NWPC to take immediate action on the petition. The ‘tuwid na daan’ cannot happen when countless workers and their families reel in abject poverty while some sectors wallow in excess and wastefulness,” he said.

“Prices of oil, transportation and basic commodities have increased. Yet, the RTWPB and NWPC remain blind to the plight of the workers. They do not appreciate the fact that each day of their inaction on the wage petition is a day of pain and suffering for poor workers. The government should not allow inequity radicalize aggrieved workers,” he added.
TUCP earlier filed for 75-pesos across-the-board wage petition at the NWPC for Metro Manila last March 7. The petition is still pending since the NWPC board is still studying if there is already a “supervening factor,” like an irregular high increase in the prices of basic commodities to pass the petition.

This developed as the government warned militant transport groups of risking their franchise if the nationwide day of protest they will launch on Thursday to oppose the unabated fuel price increases will paralyze transportation services and inconvenience commuters.
Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Undersecretary for Public Information Dante Velasco said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will be forced to suspend or cancel the franchise of the members of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operaytors Nationwide (PISTON) if will re-fuse to convey passengers and violate the Public Service Act.

It was recalled that bus operators in Metro Manila were sanctioned by the LTFRB for holding a transport strike last November 15 in opposing the implementation of the number-coding scheme for public utility buses entering Metro Manila. The LTFRB has either suspended or cancelled the certificate of public convenience and necessity of the bus companies as a result of their violation. –SAMUEL P. MEDENILLA and KRIS BAYOS, Manila Bulletin