“Filipino Workers Face Possible Exodus, Zubiri Warns”

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri is calling for a legislated wage increase for workers in the private sector in order to prevent more Filipinos from seeking jobs in other countries. Zubiri warned that if this increase did not happen, workers would leave the country to seek better-paying jobs elsewhere. He thanked the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines for supporting the measure he filed, which is pushing for a P150 ($3.10) increase in the daily rate of workers of private companies. Kapatiran, a labour group, has urged the Metro Manila regional wage board to raise minimum wage for workers in the region. The group filed the petition for a wage hike in the Metro Manila Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in December last year. House Bill No. 7568 has been filed to close the gap between the current minimum wage and the calculated family living wage across regions.