Labor chief, lawmaker spar over Metro Manila wage increase implementation

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino and Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando engaged in a heated exchange during a House hearing on the contentious wage adjustment for the capital region's workers. San Fernando contended that at least one criterion for enforcing the increase has been fulfilled, suggesting the hike should already be in effect. Tolentino, however, appeared to maintain a different position on the implementation timeline, according to accounts of the Tuesday session. The P85 daily wage increase has been a point of contention between labor advocates pressing for swift implementation and government officials weighing economic impacts on businesses. San Fernando's assertion at the hearing signals growing pressure from worker representatives to move forward with the adjustment without further delay. The dispute underscores the ongoing tension between labor-side demands for improved worker compensation and concerns raised by other stakeholders about the measure's broader implications.