Senate, House trade blame over dead wage hike bill

June 12, 2025 , 07:14 PM

(June 12, 2025) – The Senate and House of Representatives pointed fingers at each other over the failure to ratify a minimum wage hike bill before the 19th Congress adjourned.

The House of Representatives spokesperson, Atty. Princess Abante, on Thursday accused the Senate of refusing to meet them halfway.

“The Senate killed the 200-peso wage hike bill,” Abante said. “Ayaw ng Senado makipag-usap. Ang gusto nila, tanggapin na lang ng tao ang P100 nila.”

The Senate approved its version of the 100-peso wage hike in February 2024. More than a year later, on June 4, the lower house passed its version of the bill, which proposed a higher 200-peso increase.

The House transmitted its approved version to the Senate, but Congress adjourned on Wednesday without ratifying a consolidated measure.

“We came in good faith, but what the Senate gave us was a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum. Wala silang balak makipag-usap. Ang gusto nila, susunod lang kami sa gusto nila,” Abante said.

During a plenary session on Wednesday, Sen. Joel Villanueva, the chair of the Senate labor committee, criticized the lower house for transmitting the House version of the bill just days before the 19th Congress was about to end.

“We passed this measure more than a year ago, and we were able to get the official third reading measure passed by the HOR less than 48 [hours] before we adjourned,” he said.

“In fact, last night together with SP (Senate President), they were saying that they are amenable to the version to adopt. We thought it’s going to happen.”

Senator Migz Zubiri also said the Senate tried to compromise to ensure workers would receive at least a P100 wage increase.

“I’m disheartened that they don’t want to negotiate with us. Obviously, if we adopt the 200 pesos minimum wage, mave-veto ni Presidente ‘yan. Kung ma-veto, you torpedoed the measure, and it looks bad on everyone,” said Zubiri.

“They don’t want to discuss anything unless we adopt the 200 per day, which we all know the business cannot afford.”

Because the two chambers failed to agree on a final version, the bill now has to be refiled and go through the legislative process all over again in the next Congress.

Earlier, President Marcos’ economic team voiced opposition to the proposed wage hike, warning that it could lead to higher prices, increased production costs, and potential job losses, especially among small businesses.

Labor groups took to the streets to protest the inaction, blaming both chambers of Congress and the President for failing to deliver on the wage hike.

(With reports from Camille Samonte, News5)

(CMZ)

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