MANILA - Labor leader and presidential aspirant Leody De Guzman on Saturday criticized a video mocking people who work up to 18 hours a day.

The video features Senator Imee Marcos, sister of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The video titled "Pagod Len Len," cites a statement saying that "anyone who claims to work 18 hours a day is either lying or stupid."

The video has drawn criticism online, with social media posts filled with stories of employees such as healthcare workers who render additional hours of work either because of the nature of their job or just to make ends meet.

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"Di naman ako makapaniwala niyan, puwede kang kumain habang nagtatrabaho pero the rest of the work, you have to focus," said Marcos in the video.

Aside from Imee Marcos, the parody features Showtime Miss Q&A winner Juliana Parizcova Segovia, and a certain Roanna Marie.

De Guzman criticized the video, saying it discredits the realities that an ordinary Filipino worker faces.

“HINDI NIYA NARANASAN ANG PAGIGING MANGGAGAWA.”

Presidential candidate Ka Leody de Guzman reacts to Sen. Imee Marcos describing those who work 18 hrs a day as either “lying” or “stupid.”

Stresses proposal to shorten work hours from 8 to 6 hrs/day, w/o reducing pay. pic.twitter.com/dRBHtgoVrg

— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) February 12, 2022

He said Imee, daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was able to say such things because she never experienced being a common laborer.

"Hindi niya naranasan ang pagiging manggagawa. Hindi rin siya nakalinga ng karaniwang ina na may double burden ng gawaing bahay bukod sa pagtratrabaho," De Guzman said in a statement.

"Dahil sa kababaan ng sweldo, hindi lang nag-oobertaym kundi may sideline pa ang marami sa ating mga kamanggagawa," he added.

Based on the Department of Labor and Employment's website, the current minimum wage rates in the National Capital Region is between P500 to P537, while this is lower in other areas.

De Guzman has laid down a proposal to shorten work hours from 8 to 6 hours a day without reducing pay.

He said that shortening the working day is a fight that should continue.

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"Dati, ang trabaho ay mula 12 hanggang 16 oras kada araw nang walang overtime premium. Subalit naisabatas ang universal standard na 8-hour working day dahil sa sama-samang pagkilos ng mga manggagawa, sa loob at labas ng gobyerno," he said.

"Sa pag-unlad ng teknolohiya, dapat nadadagan ang oras na kontrolado ng tao ang kanyang buhay. Hindi tayo karugtong ng makina o simpleng kasangkapan sa operasyon ng kompanya."

Information aggregator iPrice in 2021 said Metro Manila has the third most expensive cost of living in Southeast Asia.

According to the Malaysia-based firm, the cost of rent, food, transportation, utilities, etc. in Manila totals to about P50,798, a figure 168 percent higher than its residents' average net salary, which the report estimated at P18,900 a month -- the lowest among the ASEAN cities included in the report.

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The government's Philippine Statistics Authority, meanwhile, said a Filipino family of 5 needed P12,082 per month to cover basic food and non-food needs in the first semester of 2021.

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