MANILA — Not enough.

It's how Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri described the recently approved P40 minimum wage hike for workers in Metro Manila.

"Sa aking pananaw, kulang po 'yan. Kailangan natin dagdagan 'yan," he told ANC's "Headstart".

"With due respect to our economist, business people... they can afford it because what we need to do is increase the capacities and happiness index of our workers."

Zubiri earlier called for an across-the-board P150 daily minimum wage hike.

He said the Senate would now push for another P100 minimum wage increase for the salary of workers to become a living wage.

"Ang problema kasi ng Wage Board alam mo gumalaw sila dahil gumalaw kami sa Senado, to be honest about it," Zubiri said.

"They also have to give a fighting chance to the Filipino people. When I say fighting chance, you gotta give them good education, good wages.

"I think a happy labor force will make a happy country and it will increase productivity," the senator added.

• P40 minimum wage hike approved in NCR

According to the Department of Labor and Employment, the NCR Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board said the wage hike was approved on June 26.

For non-agricultural workers, this means their pay will increase to P610 per day from P570 per day.

Workers in the agriculture sector, and service and retail establishments employing 15 or less workers, and manufacturing establishments regularly employing less than 10 workers meanwhile will see their pay rise to P573 per day from P533.

The wage order is to take effect after 15 days from its publication, or on July 16 this year.

DOLE said the hike is expected to directly benefit 1.1 million minimum wage earners in NCR.

• Labor groups dissatisfied with P40 daily wage hike

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