Workers staged a protest following the collapse of the legislated wage hike measure, after the Senate and the House of Representatives failed to reconcile their versions of the bill.
The Senate adjourned without ratifying the measure, which aimed to raise the national minimum wage. The House of Representatives had belatedly passed its version proposing a ₱200 increase, while the Senate had earlier approved a ₱100 hike in 2023.
The two chambers did not reach a compromise, effectively halting the bill’s passage in the current session.
Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) responded by holding protest actions, calling the failure of the bill a setback for workers who have long advocated for a national wage increase.
The group said the measure would have marked the first legislated wage hike in 36 years and could have provided limited relief from rising living costs.
KMU linked the stalled bill to what it described as government inaction and criticized the administration for not supporting the proposal.
The group reiterated its position that the proposed amount was below the living wage, but said it still represented a step toward addressing the economic concerns of workers.
KMU said it would continue campaigning for wage increases through public demonstrations and organizing efforts, following the bill’s failure to pass both houses of Congress.
The group announced plans to sustain mass actions nationwide and engage with workers across different sectors to press for legislative and economic reforms.
