TACLOBAN CITY — A new round of minimum wage increases may be rolled out as early as June as inflation continues to strain household budgets, House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan said Sunday, April 26.
Libanan of the 4Ps party-list group, said he expects the country’s 17 Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards to implement salary adjustments, noting that rising prices—driven largely by higher fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East—have eroded the purchasing power of millions of workers.
The lawmaker emphasized that about 5.2 million minimum wage earners nationwide are in need of relief, as real wages have continued to decline despite previous pay hikes.
He added that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board NCR is likely to spearhead the next round of increases, consistent with trends in past wage adjustments.
Latest data showed inflation climbed to 4.1 percent in March, with transport costs rising sharply due to fuel price hikes.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has also warned of a more challenging inflation outlook, citing elevated global oil and food prices.
Libanan said the anticipated wage adjustments could also benefit workers earning above the minimum, as companies may recalibrate salary structures to address wage distortions.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
