This is how Courage and AHW compare salary increase between ordinary government workers vs officials. pic.twitter.com/zq4K6pF9O3

— Adrian Ayalin (@adrianayalin) January 18, 2016

MANILA - Around 100 protesters from the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) and Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) trooped to the Senate on Monday to denounce the proposed Salary Standardization Law.

Courage President Ferdinand Gaite said the P2,000 increase for government minimum wage earners with a P9,000 salary per month is not enough.

"Hindi ito nakabubuhay na sahod. Nakamamatay ito," said Gaite.

He also said the P2,000 increase that will be given in four tranches in four years means that only P500 will be added to a minimum wage earner's pay per month or roughly P20 per day, not enough to buy even a kilo of rice.

In one of the banners used by the protesters, Courage and AHW also pointed out the disparity of salary increases between ordinary government workers and officials per month for the first tranche: for utility workers, P500; nurses, P551; and doctors, P1,676.

For high-level officials, they also pointed out the huge increases for specific officials: for the budget secretary, P24,059; for the vice-president and Senate president, P51,322; and for the president, P67,024.

AHW President Robert Mendoza also raised the eventual scrapping of additional benefits being enjoyed by health workers in the government.

He said the proposed Salary Standardization Law will repeal laws which enable the enjoyment of health workers of hazard pays, longevity pays, overnight and differential pays.

The Senate has yet to pass the SSL, while the House of Representatives has already passed its own version. The delay in the Senate was due to the upper chamber's decision to include increases in the pension of uniformed personnel.