黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero believes that proposals to increase minimum wage of private sector workers would benefit different industries, as it will boost productivity in workplaces across the country.

Romero explained in an exclusive interview that as a businessman who used to be with the port industry, he understands the grievances of workers 鈥� and he knows that any way to boost their morale would bode well for both laborers and the company.

鈥淎ko naman,听all the benefits听that I can give听or a corporation can give, kailangan. Because I came from听the port industry,听I know the qualms听ng labor.听 So, I鈥檓 really pro-labor. Whatever can help them听because they help you also eh.听鈥楶agka-motivated sila听mag-trabaho,听ang laborers,听they are very productive,鈥� Romero said.

鈥淭alagang nandyan听ng lahat ng听stevedore,听arrastre,听cargo handlers,听nandyan lahat, no?听 So,听katulong ko sila, eh, hindi mo sila pwedeng听i-isolate听or hindi i-boost听鈥榶ong moral, eh.听 So,听the more听I boost their moral听using productivity听or using incentives as a way of听increasing productivity,听the more nakakatulong听sila sa akin,鈥� he added.

According to Romero, the Philippines as a whole has to increase productivity to attract investments, and one way of doing that is by incentivizing workers and boosting their morale.

鈥淎nd we have to听make the country听or our labor force听very productive. Why?听 It鈥檚 because听many of听foreign investors,听they don鈥檛 go听to the Philippines听because ang productivity level听ng Filipino听is not听very high听comparable to听the Southeast Asian.听 Bakit?听Kasi marami tayong听cigarette break,听marami tayong siesta.听So, anything that will听keep the morale听of our laborers听high听by giving them听extra听based on productivity,鈥� he added.

鈥淪o,听鈥榶ong labor听is a partner for me.听 Unlike others, siguro,听they look at听labor as听kalaban.听 Ako,听I look at them听as my partners, no?听Kasi,听in my business, talagang听we need each other听to hold hands听para听dumami yung听volume,鈥� he added.

On Monday, the House of Representatives approved on second reading House Bill (HB) No. 11376, which proposes a P200 increase for minimum wages.

READ: House OKs P200 minimum wage hike bill on 2nd reading听

No committee or individual amendments were made but before the bill was approved, but the House decided to present a substitute bill to HB No. 11376, under Committee Report No. 1384. The key difference was that the new bill seeks to apply the wage hikes to minimum wage earners only, instead of the previous version where salary increases were across-the-board.

READ: House panel OKs substitute bill seeking P200 minimum wage hike听

Even so, the House-approved minimum wage hike is higher than what the Senate has approved last February 2024, which was a P100 hike to the daily minimum wages of private sector workers.

Romero meanwhile assured the labor sector that his support for wage hikes is not mere lip service, as even though he has divested his shares in several companies, his family still runs several businesses.

鈥淣ow, I divested听in everything. 听Pero,听I was in ports,听Global Port,听North Port, and,听Harbor Center,听North Harbor. And then,听airline,听AirAsia and the power business,鈥� he said. 鈥淥o, for sure (we need wage hike) kasi,听ang inflation natin听nag-6 percent eh, so听hindi kakayanin 鈥榶on.

鈥淢y family is still there, Ako divested as a person, pero my kids, my wife is still part of those industries,鈥� he added.