Senate ‘killed’ P200 wage hike bill by rejecting bicam talks — House exec

House of Representative spokesperson Princess Abante. Photo from Abante Facebook account.

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate did not want to convene a bicameral conference committee on the proposed minimum wage hike bills and preferred that their version of the measure be adopted instead, House of Representatives spokesperson Princess Abante said on Thursday.

Abante in a statement said that it was the Senate that killed the proposals for a minimum wage hike, because House lawmakers were trying to discuss a possible compromise between their P200 wage hike proposal and the Senate’s P100.

According to Abante, it seems the P100 wage hike is too low for the House members’ preference.

“Let’s not sugarcoat it — the Senate killed the P200 wage hike bill. Last night was the final session of the 19th Congress. No bicam. No compromise. No wage hike. And the reason is simple: The Senate does not want to talk. What they want to happen is that we just accept their P100 bill entirely. Why? Why is the Senate shortchanging the workers?” Abante asked.

READ: Solon: Minimum wage hike ratification possible before Congress adjourns

“We were ready to deliberate. We came in good faith. But what the Senate gave us was a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum. They do not want to talk with us, what they wanted was for us to follow. That’s not how democracy works. That’s not how we serve the people,” she added.

Possible scenario

According to Abante, the House contingent was ready to discuss possible scenarios but the Senate supposedly just wanted the House to follow their proposal.

Furthermore, the House spokesperson believed the House version contained safeguards that would protect micro, small, and medium enterprises, which lawmakers wanted to be included in the final version.

“Our bicam conferees had raised eyebrows when we asked them what happened. They were ready to sit down, defend the P200 proposal, and fight for labor (sector) — only to find out the Senate had no intention of meeting at all,” she claimed.

“This was not a reckless proposal. It was a responsible, well-considered measure. But instead of dialogue, what they gave us back was a silent rejection and a hasty attitude,” she added.

The 19th Congress ended its session on Wednesday with both the Senate and the House neither ratifying a final version of the bill nor adopting another chamber’s proposal, as a consensus on how much minimum wages should increase was not reached.

The House last June 4 approved House Bill (HB) No. 11376 or the proposed Wage Hike For Minimum Wage Workers Act, which pushes for a P200 increase in the per-day salaries of minimum wage earners. The Senate’s version, Senate Bill (SB) No. 2534 which was approved in February 2024, meanwhile pushes for a P100-daily minimum wage increase.

READ: House OKs P200 minimum wage hike on final reading

Differences between the bills

Due to the differences between the bills, a bicameral conference committee should be convened so that both chambers can come up with a final version, or one of the two chambers would adopt the other house’s version so that it can be forwarded to the President for his consideration.

If a bicam was convened, the final version of the bill contained in a bicameral conference committee report should be ratified by the House and the Senate separately during a plenary session.

However, as early as Wednesday morning, there were reports that the House and the Senate were in a deadlock, as House committee on labor and employment chairperson and Rizal 4th District Rep. Juan Fidel Nograles preferred a bicameral conference committee, so that the discussions would be more transparent.

Nograles said the House would not agree to just merely adopt the Senate’s version of the measure.

Abante is not the only personality linked with the House who has blamed the Senate for the death of the wage hike bill. Earlier, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas claimed that the failure to approve the proposed wage hike bill shows a clear lack of sympathy with minimum wage earners who are still struggling to make ends meet.

“As a member of the bicameral panel, we in the Gabriela Women’s Party fought for the legislated wage increase which our workers have long waited for,” she said. “Failure to pass this is a clear lack of sympathy with minimum wage workers who continue to live through meager salaries.”/mr