MANILA – “Fight for a liveable wage!”

This is the call of workers as they commemorated labor day on May 1. Groups led by Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) marched from Liwasang Bonifacio to Mendiola carrying banners demanding a family living wage of P1,200 ($21) per day for all private workers nationwide. Meanwhile, government employees pushed for a monthly salary of P33,000 ($591) for entry level employees (Salary Grade or SG 1). At present, the average national minimum wage of non-agricultural workers in the National Capital Region is at P645 ($12) daily while SG 1 is at P13,000 ($233) monthly. 

They marched from Liwasang Bonifacio to Mendiola but the police barricaded the street going to the Mendiola Peace Arch. 

In his speech, Makabayan senatorial candidate and Kilusang Mayo Uno Secretary-General Jerome Adonis slammed the police for preventing their march to reach Mendiola Peace Arch which has been the usual place of protests of activists. However, in the past three years under the Marcos Jr administration, the Mendiola Peace Arch has become inaccessible to progressive groups. 

Adonis called for the abolition of RA 6727 or the Wage Regionalization Act because it undervalues the wages of the Filipino workers. He said that the law only allows more profits for capitalists. The Wage Rationalization Act sets different wage levels for different regions. 

In a statement, the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) said that under the Marcos Jr administration, there has been no improvement on workers’ rights. 

“Former president Rodrigo Duterte left office as the president that has granted the most meager wage increases in recent history. Marcos Jr is following in his predecessor’s footsteps. His government feigns understanding workers’ need for a significant wage hike, but has failed to legislate even the P200 ($4) minimum wage hike that it bandied about,” the group said.

Last February, House Bill 11376 which proposes a P200 daily wage hike was approved in second reading at the House of Representatives. The Senate Bill 2434 proposing an increase of P100 ($2) daily wage  on the other hand was passed in 2024. However, Marcos Jr didi not sign the bill saying that the government needs to carefully study wage hikes proposals. 

Salaries remain low amid high volume of work

Cristy Donguines, secretary-general of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) lamented how health workers are overworked in government hospitals. As a result, she said that many health workers choose to work abroad instead.  

“Dahil doon, ang sahod ay nakabubuhay. Dito nakamamatay,” Donguines said in the program at the Liwasang Bonifacio. She added that the government has been laying-off workers instead of hiring. She said that benefits like Health Emergency Allowance as well as Performance Based Bonus from 2021 up to 2024 have not been released until now. 

Teachers also suffer from low salaries. In private schools, teachers are receiving P15,000 ($268) to P18,000 ($322) monthly, or even as low as P12,000 ($215) in the National Capital Region.

“The salaries in most small and medium private schools are very far behind compared to others. Even though we are all licensed, the pay is low because it depends on the situation of the schools,” said Joyce Caubat, a private school teacher and member of Alliance of Concerned Teachers Private (ACT Private). Their data are based on a survey they conducted among private school teachers. 

She stressed that universities require more from teachers to get regularized. “We need to study for three years or more (to be regularized), and because of that, we have no assurance of the benefits that a university teacher should be entitled to,” Caubat told Bulatlat. 

What is more saddening is that many private schools have no associations or faculty unions. This then deprives them of their right to express their grievances or negotiate salary increases, Caubat said. She encouraged teachers and employees in private education institutions to join their network to fight for a living wage. “It’s truly disheartening, the situation of teachers in private schools—especially since we are scattered and unorganized. We face different levels of struggles, which is why we want teachers as well as employees of private education institutions to unite.”

45 years of militant unionism  

May 1 marked KMU’s 45th year. KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog paid tribute to the Filipino working class that “creates the wealth of the nation and the entire world.” 

“We extend our greetings to all organizations who marched today to commemorate Labor Day and the 45th anniversary of our Kilusang Mayo Uno,” Labog said. 

He also honored leaders of the labor movement who passed on like Felixberto Olalia Sr., Medardo Roda, and Crispin Beltran, as well as those who were martyred including Rolando Olalia and Jude Fernandez. “Their dedication and sacrifices in service of all the oppressed and exploited classes will forever be honored.” 

“Genuine, militant, and patriotic unionism teaches that workers must be treated with dignity: receiving living wages, working in safe and decent conditions, and having their rights to unionize and strike respected,” he said. 

He said that KMU will continue to hold on to their mission to uphold genuine, militant, and patriotic unionism, resist neoliberal attack on labor and continue to expand and to “advance national democracy with a socialist perspective.” (DAA)