Makabayan senatorial bet to push for P1,200/day national minimum wage

MANILA, Philippines – In a bid for fair wages and equal job opportunities nationwide, Makabayan senatorial candidate Jerome Adonis has vowed to push for a P1,200 daily national minimum wage if elected in the May 2025 midterm elections.

Adonis pointed to the Constitution’s provision on a living wage, emphasizing that research from the Ibon Foundation estimates the current living wage at P1,231 as of January 2025.

“Unang-una ang pinaghuhugutan natin: Nakalagay sa Constitution, very clear—living wage. So bakit hindi natin marealize ’yan? Pag sinabing living wage, wala kasing amount eh,” Adonis told INQUIRER.net in an interview on Wednesday.

READ: P35 daily wage increase in NCR ‘an insult to workers’ – groups

(First of all, our basis is clear: the Constitution explicitly states a living wage. So why haven’t we realized that yet? It is because the living wage does not have a fixed amount.)

“’Yung Ibon Foundation na mayroong capacity para mag-research, nag-research sila. At ang needs ngayon, batay sa high prices, services na kailangan makapag-aral and et cetera, ay P1,200. So ‘yun talaga yung kailangan, ‘yun ‘yung equivalent ng family living wage for now,” he explained.

(Ibon Foundation, which has the capacity to conduct research, studied this. Based on rising prices and essential services like education, the needed amount is P1,200. That is the equivalent of a family’s living wage today.)

Data visualization courtesy of Ibon Foundation

“Kung saka-sakali maging senador tayo, proposed bill kaagad natin [ay] P1,200 sa lahat ng mga manggagawa sa buong bansa,” he emphasized during a forum at FEU Institute of Technology.

(If I become a senator, my first proposed bill will be a P1,200 minimum wage for all workers nationwide.)

Adonis argued that standardizing wages across the country would reduce migration to Metro Manila in search of higher pay, easing traffic congestion and overcrowding.

“Importante na pantay-pantay ang sahod ng mga manggagawa sa buong bansa para hindi magsiksikan sa Metro Manila,” the senatorial candidate said.

(It is important to have equal wages nationwide so that workers don’t have to flock to Metro Manila.)

“For sure, yung mga taga-probinsya, babalik po yan sa kanilang probinsya kasi may equal opportunity. Babalik pa rin sila sa Metro Manila, pero hindi na para mag-hanapbuhay, mamamasyal na lamang po,” he added.

(People from the provinces will return home because they will have equal opportunities there. They will still visit Metro Manila, but not for work—just for leisure.)

Challenging but achievable

“Ang basis namin kayang ibigay pero hindi maibigay-bigay kasi maraming mga senador na nakaupo ngayon, mga negosyante at mga landlord. Of course, bangga sa interests nila ‘yan,” he said.

(Our data shows this is feasible, but it isn’t being implemented because many senators are businessmen and landlords. Of course, it goes against their interests.)

“Actually, maraming beses na namin dinepensa ‘yan sa Senate hearing hanggang sa Congressional hearing. Wala namang makadebunk… [kasi] may mga konkretong data kami,” he added.

(We have defended this multiple times in Senate and Congressional hearings. No one has debunked it because we have concrete data.)

Adonis explained that based on Ibon Foundation’s studies, businesses—even large corporations—would only see a maximum 30 percent reduction in profits if the wage hike were implemented.

“And therefore, they have retained 70 percent sa kanilang profit. So wala silang rason para malugi. Walang rason para hindi ibigay, wala ding rason para i-add on sa produkto,” he noted.

(That means they would still retain 70 percent of their profit. So there is no reason for them to go bankrupt, no reason not to provide the wage increase, and no reason to pass the cost onto consumers.”)

READ: Magic number for a just living wage

He also dismissed common arguments against wage hikes, such as inflation or job losses.

“Kasi ang panakot nila palagi, one, pag [may] wage increase, [may] inflationary, tanggalan, et cetera. Lahat ‘yun ay kasinungalingan para lang pagbigyan at manatili ‘yung malaking profit nila sa mga manggagawa,” the Makabayan bet asserted.

(They always use scare tactics, saying wage hikes will cause inflation, job losses, etc. All of that is a lie to justify keeping their high profits at the expense of workers.)

High productivity, economic growth

Adonis also cited reports showing that despite economic challenges, Filipino workers have remained highly productive, contributing to the country’s growth.

“Every year lumalabas ang survey, kahit dumaan ng pandemya, tumaas ang productivity ng mga manggagawa. Pangawala, kumita ng milyon hanggang bilyon ang mga multinational at transnational na korporasyon na negosyo sa Pilipinas,” he said.

(Every year, surveys show that even during the pandemic, worker productivity increased. Secondly, multinational and transnational corporations in the Philippines earned millions to billions in profit.)

READ: Philippines posts one of highest economic growth in Asia in 2024

“Thirdly, pinagyayabang ng gobyerno ni Bongbong Marcos na one of the fastest growing economy ang Pilipinas. And therefore, sa sumatotal, nagtrabaho ang mga manggagawa at ordinaryong mamamayan. Hindi naman babagsak sa langit ‘yun,” he emphasized.

(Thirdly, the Marcos administration boasts that the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing economies. That growth is the result of workers’ labor. It didn’t just fall from the sky.)

Adonis argued that this economic success should translate to wage increases and greater investments in public services.

“Napaka-just naman na ma-translate ‘yan into wage increase, additional na pondo sa edukasyon, health, et cetera,” he said.

(It is only just that this translates into wage increases, additional funding for education, healthcare, etc.)

Call for public support

Adonis pledged to fight for the P1,200 minimum wage even as part of the Senate minority. However, he emphasized that public support would be crucial in pressuring lawmakers to act.

“Kaya ako partikular, kapag nagkaroon tayo ng tsansa, alam kong mahirap, pero ilalaban natin ‘yan kasi ‘yan ‘yung just call. Hindi kami aatras sa labanang ‘yan,” he said.

(If I get the chance, I know it will be difficult, but we will fight for it because it is the just call. We will not back down.)

“Of course, maaaring itetengga nila ’yan. Ang gusto kasi namin, kapag ka na-elect, for example, ang isang Jerome Adonis, minority siya, diba? Bago pumasa ang batas, game number ‘yan. Eh, kailangan namin yung kakampi yung taong bayan. Dapat merong sumisigaw outside the Senate na sinusuportahan ‘yung isinusulong nating bill,” he concluded.

(Of course, they might stall it. If someone like me gets elected, I will be in the minority, right? Passing laws is a numbers game. That’s why we need the support of the people. There must be voices outside the Senate calling for the passage of this bill.)