CITY Councilor George Goking on Saturday said the P400 or more petition increase the minimum wage must be studied further as employers might not be able to afford it and even be forced to shut down operations.
“Gikinahanglan pa ug dugang pagtuon sa hangyong omento sa suholan,” said Goking, the city council's committee on trade and commerce chair.
He said the government, however needs to look at both employer and employee benefits.
“Because of the ongoing pandemic, businesses still not being able to pay their workers might lead to the “worst situation,” said Goking, adding that an increase in unemployment rate.
Earlier this month, a total of 10 petitions for wage increase have been filed in six regional wage boards, the National Wage and Productivity Commission (NWPC), according to Goking.
He explained that he understood the plight of the workers who needed such an additional to their salary to increase income.
“Ang mga negosyante wala pa totally makabangon gumikan sa pandemya nga padayong nasinati sobra na sa duha ka tuig. Gani, ang uban nagpabilin nga sirado ilabina kadtong mga gagmay nga mga negosyante,” Goking stressed.
He said even though the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III has ordered the wage boards to review the minimum wage in their respective areas.
Goking said if the petition granted or recommended the approval of the petition to increase the wage from P537 to P700 or P750, the employers might not be able to afford it. If they increase it, businesses may be compelled to lay-off workers.
“We need to study this carefully before the Dole make any drastic move,” Goking said.
He said on the part of big businesses, they are continuing their business amidst the experienced bankruptcy just to help the government as if the employees lose their livelihood it is still a big problem in the society.
Goking concluded that as of now, what’s important for the workers is to retain their status of employment amid job cuts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (Ben Balce)
