Palace says increasing minimum wage ‘legally impossible’

Amid the calls of labor groups to increase the national minimum wage, Malacañang said that to do so would be “legally impossible.

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On Monday, the House of Representative’s Makabayan Bloc filed House Bill 7787 or the National Minimum Wage Bill, a resolution seeking to increase the daily minimum wage of workers to P750 in all regions of the country.

This move of the labor groups was instigated due to its concern for the Filipino workers over the upsurge of prices of basic commodities brought by the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

However, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said it would be “legally impossible because we cannot impose a national minimum wage now because the regional wage boards are created by law.”

To increase the minimum wage would also lead to job loss to a lot of people that is why it has to  be studied thoroughly, Roque added.

DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 5/28/18