LABOR groups have criticized President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for failing to mention their plea for a legislated wage increase in his third state of the nation address (SONA) before Congress on Monday.
“It seems the Marcos economic team has shot down [the proposal],” Federation of Free Workers (FFW) President Jose Sonny G. Matula told BusinessWorld in a Viber message on Tuesday. “We need to explore other strategies, especially since the House of Representatives is taking cues from the Marcos economic team.”
He said they would continue to lobby before Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma for the legislated wage hike.
“President Marcos expressed optimism about the nation’s growth trajectory, but without wage recovery, this growth is directionless,” Mr. Matula said. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
