Senators mark Labor Day with push for workers’ rights, wage reform

By Wilnard Bacelonia, Philippine News Agency

Construction workers atop a building in Timog Avenue, Quezon City under searing heat on Wednesday (April 30, 2025). They won’t mind working on Labor Day Thursday (May 1) because they are entitled to extra pay. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA – As the country celebrates Labor Day, key members of the Philippine Senate called for decisive reforms to ensure fair wages, stronger protections, and inclusive opportunities across all sectors of the labor force.

“Ang Labor Day ay isang mahalagang pagkakataon upang bigyang-pugay ang ating mga manggagawa – – ang tunay na haligi ng ating ekonomiya (Labor Day is an important opportunity to honor our workers — the true pillars of our economy),” Senate President Francis Escudero said in a statement Thursday.

Escudero noted that more than 50 million Filipinos comprise the country’s labor force, spanning vital sectors such as agriculture, construction, transportation, and manufacturing.

Senator Loren Legarda, meanwhile, emphasized that economic growth must be felt at the household level.

“A true measure of a nation’s progress is whether the fruits of growth reach the worker’s table,” she said. “We must continue to widen the gateways of opportunity so that every talent and aspiration finds a place to grow.”

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano proposed the creation of a national labor commission, a multisectoral body he dubbed “LabCom,” to craft long-term, evidence-based reforms, modeled after the successful Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM).

“Ano ang pinag-uusapan natin perennially tuwing Labor Day? Napupunta parati sa ‘minimum wage.

’ Actually, kung titingnan mo ang Constitution, ang pinag-uusapan ay ‘living wage’ (What do we talk about perennially every Labor Day? It always comes down to ‘minimum wage.’ Actually, if you look at the Constitution, what we’re talking about is ‘living wage’),” he said.

For her part, Senator Grace Poe said rising inflation underscores the urgency of raising wages.

“With the soaring prices, a wage increase will be a timely and meaningful gift to our workers,” she said in a statement, citing her authorship of the PHP100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act and her continued advocacy for stronger benefits for both formal and informal workers.

Senator Joel Villanueva, chairperson of the Senate labor committee, thanked the millions of Filipino workers at home and abroad for their perseverance amid ongoing economic challenges.

“We salute our workers who continue to strive despite adversity,” he said. “Through laws such as the Tulong-Trabaho Law, Work-from-Home Law, and the Department of Migrant Workers Law, we have worked to improve job conditions and create more opportunities.”

Villanueva highlighted the implementation of the “Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan 2025–2034,” the country’s first national employment masterplan, which aims to provide safe, stable, and decent work while preparing the labor force for rapid technological changes, including artificial intelligence and robotics.

He renewed his call to prioritize the PHP100 across-the-board minimum wage hike, already approved by the Senate, and emphasized the importance of localized employment plans nationwide.

Senator Pia Cayetano echoed the call for a wage increase, framing it as a matter of justice for Filipino women and mothers.

“A wage hike may seem small to some, but for many families, it can mean one more meal or the ability to send a child to school,” Cayetano said.

“This is also a gender issue — women are still paid less and carry the burden of unpaid care work.”

Cayetano stressed that any vision of national progress must include the well-being of mothers and working women, calling on lawmakers to finalize the proposed wage hike with only a few session days left.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian pushed for the passage of the Revised Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Senate Bill No. 2493), which seeks to update the 58-year-old law and enhance the welfare of teachers.

The proposed legislation includes calamity leave, educational allowances, and longevity pay; ensures salary parity for probationary and entry-level teachers; and bans non-teaching assignments. It also proposes reducing teaching hours from six to four.

“Our teachers deserve laws that reflect the realities they face today. This bill is long overdue in upholding their welfare,” Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said.