Cavite 1st District Representative Jolo Revilla on Thursday called for the swift passage of the proposed national wage law, saying improving employment figures should now translate into fair pay and inclusive, sustainable growth.
“Hindi sapat na may trabaho ang ating mga kababayan. Ang tunay na sukatan ng ating tagumpay ay ang pagkakaroon ng trabaho na may dignidad, magandang sahod, at seguridad sa hanapbuhay,” said Revilla, chairperson of the House Committee on Labor and Employment.
“Magandang balita ang pagbaba ng unemployment rate, pero malinaw rin na hindi sapat ang dami ng trabaho kung hindi patas ang sahod. Kailangan nating wakasan ang sistemang nagpapababa ng halaga ng trabaho base lang sa lokasyon,” he added.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed unemployment declined to 4.4% or 2.25 million in November, down from 5% or 2.59 million in October.
Revilla said the trend strengthens the case for a National Minimum Wage System to end long-standing wage disparities caused by regional wage-setting.
He noted that despite job gains, unequal regional wages continue to fuel underemployment, weaken purchasing power, and limit real economic progress for workers.
“With the committee’s adoption of the National Minimum Wage bill, we are one step closer to ending decades of unfair wage disparities among Filipino workers,” Revilla said.
“Pantay ang trabaho, pantay dapat ang sahod—kahit saan ka pa nagtatrabaho,” he added.
Under the proposal, the current regional wage structure would be replaced with a national minimum wage, with a three-year harmonization period to gradually close regional gaps.
Revilla said the measure balances worker welfare and business sustainability through adjustment mechanisms, exemptions for qualified micro-enterprises, and stronger enforcement powers for the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“Kung patas ang pasahod, mas matatag ang kita ng pamilya, mas malakas ang konsumo, at mas pangmatagalan ang paglago ng ekonomiya,” he said.
“Hindi sapat na may trabaho. Ang layunin natin ay trabaho na may dignidad, katarungan, at kinabukasan.”