Workers Demand Emergency Session for P200 Wage Hike — 'Diesel Over P100, Fares Up, Pero Sahod Stuck Pa Rin'
Filipino workers are fed up — and they're demanding Congress get back to work. The National Wage Coalition, which includes the country's biggest labor groups like TUCP, KMU, FFW, and Nagkaisa, is calling for an emergency special session to finally pass the long-delayed P200 legislated wage increase as fuel prices hit crisis levels.
The push comes as diesel prices have surpassed P100 per liter and gasoline now exceeds P90 per liter in many parts of the country, driven by the ongoing Middle East conflict. To make matters worse, the LTFRB just approved fare hikes across the board — traditional jeepney minimum fare is going up by P1 to P14, modern jeepneys by P2 to P17, and TNVS flag-down rates are jumping from P45 to P65.
"Diesel is now over P100 per liter — yet workers still haven't received a P200 raise. What are we waiting for — $200 oil prices?" said TUCP party-list Rep. Raymondoza, echoing the frustration of millions of minimum wage earners. The coalition warned that fare hikes will trigger a chain reaction: higher commuting costs, rising food prices, and deeper financial strain on families who are barely making it.
FFW President Sonny Matula slammed the government's uneven response, noting that authorities moved swiftly to approve fare increases for operators but continue dragging their feet on structural wage reform. "A P5,000 subsidy for transport workers is necessary — but it is not a substitute for real wage relief," the coalition said, adding that more than five million minimum wage earners are being left behind.
The message from labor is clear: if the government can fast-track fare hikes, it should be able to fast-track wage increases too. With fuel, fares, and food costs all climbing at the same time, workers say waiting any longer isn't just a delay — it's a policy failure that's crushing ordinary Filipinos.
Source: The Manila Times
