Senator Joel Villanueva has raised concerns that the proposed P200 daily minimum wage hike, recently approved by the House of Representatives, might be vetoed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if the Senate adopts it in place of its more modest P100 version.
Villanueva, who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, said the higher wage hike could be politically and economically risky. “If we adopt the House version, there’s a strong chance it gets vetoed outright. Some may even be counting on that outcome,” he told reporters.
He reaffirmed the Senate’s stance that a P100 increase is more practical under the current economic climate, though he remained open to further study. “If Malacañang says it’s feasible after reviewing it with their resources, then maybe we could consider it. But there’s also the risk it leads to both versions being shut down,” he said.
The House passed its version of the bill on Wednesday, proposing a P200 increase for private sector workers. The two chambers now face a tight June 13 deadline to reconcile their differences and ratify the final version before sending it to the President. If they fail to do so, the bill will have to be refiled in the next Congress.
Malacañang has stated that President Marcos is reviewing the economic impact of the proposed wage hike, reaffirming his intent to do what’s best for Filipino workers