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Lacson: ‘Balanced’ Minimum Wage Review Needed Amid Fuel Price Hikes

A review of minimum wages is timely and necessary to help laborers cope with the surging costs of fuel amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday.

Lacson, who is running for President under Partido Reporma, said one of the most common complaints he and Vice Presidential bet Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III have heard from people during their town hall meetings involved the rising costs of living.

“Napaka-timely ang panawagan ni Sec. Bello na mag-meet ang tripartite wage board para pag-usapan kung kailangan na bang i-adjust ang minimum wage ng ating mga kababayan (It is timely that Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III called for a meeting of the tripartite wage boards to discuss possible adjustments to the minimum wages of our workers),” he said in an interview on Bombo Radyo.

Related: Ping: Balanseng Minimum Wage, Kailangang Repasuhin Bunsod ng Pagtaas ng Presyo ng Langis

He said many workers he and Sotto have met are virtually crying due to the high cost of goods and services, caused by high oil prices and compounded by inflation. Lacson said that while the wealthy can absorb the higher costs of living, ordinary families may not.

Also, Lacson pointed out the need to balance the call of our workers for a higher wage, and the capacity of employers to pay these higher salaries.

“So dapat talaga pag-usapan natin kung dapat i-adjust ang ating minimum wage earners (We have to discuss if there is a need to adjust the minimum wage, and by how much),” he said.

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