MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Thursday the filing of new bills on additional wages for workers is solely in the hands of Congress.
According to DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, if a bill becomes a law, the responsibility of the department is to implement it.
“Refiling and filing of new bills, including wage hike, is within the power of our legislative branch. That’s their mandate. If any proposed legislation, whatever be the subject matter, becomes a law, it is the duty of the executive department, in this case the DOLE, to implement the same,” he said in an interview.
Asked to react to the statement of labor groups that they were disappointed over President Ferdinand R. Marcos’ failure to mention the legislated wage hike in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Laguesma said, “Perhaps they will not be completely or totally disappointed… If we look at the SONA of our President, it was centered on the welfare of the workers.”
The current administration has no objection to a proposed law, he said.
The duty of the executive branch of government, especially the DOLE, is to provide technical inputs to the legislators who will make the proposal and hear the issue of legislated wage hike, he added.
“Whether our inputs are considered or not, we will consider the wisdom of the members of Congress. If we happen to have a proposal that becomes law, eventually the duty of the DOLE is to implement the law,” Laguesma said.
He assured that they would not be a hindrance to the proposal for a legislated wage hike.
“The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) always fulfills its duties,’” Laguesma said.
The National Capital Region RTWPB has recently implemented a PHP50 daily wage increase for minimum wage earners.
The order increased the daily take-home pay from PHP645 to PHP695 for eight hours of work. (PNA)