MANILA - Government and private sector workers are seeking inflation allowances after the Senate announced each of its employees will get P50,000 to help them cope with the rising prices of commodities.
Santiago Dasmariñas, Jr., national president of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), on Wednesday urged Congress to pass a law that would give financial assistance not just to employees of both chambers but all workers.
"Panawagan namin kay (Senate President Juan Miguel) ZubiriI, ganun na rin kay (House) Speaker (Martin) Romualdez na magtalaga na ng batas na hindi lamang po sa mga kawani ng Kongreso kundi sa lahat ng kawani ng gobyerno at siyempre po ang mga manggagawa sa pribadong sektor," Dasmariñas said in a TeleRadyo interview.
The COURAGE official said all government workers should be given a P50,000 allowance similar to the benefit given to Senate employees, while also giving workers a living wage.
Louie Corral, vice-president of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, made a similar call, saying government should issue an emergency cost of living allowance (E-COLA) to the private sector after inflation jumped to 8.7 percent in January, the highest since November 2008 and faster than the 8.1 percent in December.
"Kailangan na ng immediate emergency cost of living allowance... Gusto lang natin marating yung difference between yung P570 na minimum wage para sa private sector workers at yung current value niyan na P434 lang yata. Sana habulin yan," he said.
He urged the country's economic managers to craft a financial assistance plan similar to the COVID assistance management program that would give a "one-time, big-time [financial aid] to help workers and businesses through the difficult times."
"Hindi lang manggagawa and tinamaan. Ang tinamaan din ay mga businesses, mga employers. Ayaw din natin silang patayin. The economy is still recovering... So two-fold: E-COLA para sa private sector workers natin [habang] hindi pa bumababa ang ating inflation rate na 8.7 percent sa target na 4-5 percent. Hanggang hindi pa bumababa ito, bigyan muna ng emergency cost of living allowance."
"Bukod diyan, humingi na rin tayo ng financial assistance management program tulad ng COVID assistance management program."
The TUCP is planning to file a wage hike petition based on the 2023 first quarter inflation rate. He said a separate petition by Kapatiran for a P100 daily wage increase could be passed by regional wage boards as an emergency cost of living allowance until inflation goes down.
Zubiri had announced raising the one-time inflation assistance for Senate employees to P50,000 from P12,200. Medical assistance for Senate employees was also raised to P50,000.
Both assistance will be a one-time benefit, Zubiri said.
Sonny Africa, IBON Foundation executive director, noted the increase came after both chambers of Congress increased their budgets for 2023 while other programs such as the conditional cash transfer for the country's poorest families suffered budget cuts.
He described the announcement as "institutionalized patronage on full display", which could ossify patronage politics.
"Ang pinaka-unsettling sa naganap na announcement na 'yan, hindi yung sa makakakuha ng benepisyo yung mga kawani - na chances are deserved naman nila yan - kundi kinakailangang ganun ba? Na nasa wisyo lang ng nasa poder, ay magbibigay ako kapag gusto ko?" he said.
"Ang gobyerno ay nandiyan para sa lahat. Kung ang tao ay may karapatan sa ayuda dahil naghihirap sila, dapat lahat ng tao meron - malapit sa kusina o hindi, may kilalang pulitiko na senador, congressman, mayor, governor o wala. Dapat, lahat pantay-pantay. Kapag nangangailangan, mabibigyan ng tulong," he added.