The Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP Party-list) Representative and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza, together with leaders from FFW, SENTRO, and the TUCP, met with House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez to discuss fast-tracking the passage of the TUCP Party-list’s House Bill No. 7871 which seeks to provide an across-the-board ₱150 legislated daily wage hike for all workers in the private sector. Emphasizing that the last legislated wage hike was enacted in 1989 or 36 years ago, the labor leaders called on Speaker Romualdez to prioritize the passage of this historic measure as an emergency response to the cost-of-living crisis faced by every Filipino worker and their family in the face of big-time oil, rice, power, and even fare hike and record-high self-rated poverty, and hunger.

Speaker Romualdez positively responded to the workers’ calls and expressed his strong support and commitment to prioritize and accelerate the immediate passage of the proposed legislated daily wage hike, even expressing willingness to go beyond the ₱150 increase to better address chronic malnutrition, stunting, and poverty and ultimately ensure a more dignified life for Filipino workers and their families. Speaker Romualdez vowed that the House of Representatives as the “House of the People” would urgently and swiftly act to ensure progress and approval in both the House Committee on Labor and Employment and the plenary despite the limited session days remaining.

The labor leaders thanked Speaker Romualdez for his commitment to the passage of the legislated wage hike. They look forward to the House Labor Committee hearing scheduled for Thursday, 30 January 2025, at 11 AM, where they anticipate the bill’s approval and subsequent endorsement to the plenary. The labor leaders stand with the House of Representatives in addressing the systemic failure of the regional minimum wage board system and uplifting the lives and livelihood of Filipino workers and their families by passing the first-ever legislated wage hike law after 36 years since 1989.