Revilla lauds Senate for tackling Legislated Wage Hike

"It is high time we etch our role in history by finally being the waymakers for this much-needed legislation." - Sen. Revilla

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. hailed the Senate for bringing to the plenary, discussions on what he says is a long overdue legislated wage hike.

Revilla has been filing a bill for a 150 pesos across the board wage increase since his first term in the Senate in 2008 during the the 14th Congress, and has since been filing a similar proposal in the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 19th Congress. He was not a member of the 18th Congress.

The veteran lawmaker expressed his elation that after almost two decades, his advocacy has finally seen the light of day.

In his co-sponsorship speech, Sen. Revilla said that this measure has been one of his advocacies from being a neophyte Senator until now that he is considered to be one of the most senior members of the upper chamber.

Sen. Revilla recalled the long uphill battle to have the measure finally be sponsored in the senate. He is optimistic that this decades-old crusade of the labor sector will come to fruition.

"Hindi maikakaila na hindi kayang sumabay ng buwanang sahod ng mga Pilipino sa hindi mapigilang pag-taas ng mga bilihin. Hikahos at butas na ang bulsa ng mga Pinoy. Masyado na ngang matagal silang nagtiis mamaluktot sa maikling kumot. Isang kahig, isang tuka - na hindi nga magawang isipin kung paano ang bukas dahil maging ang ngayon ay hindi nga kayang maitawid. Nakakaawa ang pobreng manggagawa na sunog ang balat sa tirik ng araw habang lumalambitin sa nagtataasang gusali, habang iniisip kung mapagkakasya ang kakarampot na kita para sa pamilya. Nakakahabag ang maralitang Juan at Juana na hindi iniinda ang lakas ng buhos ng ulan o panganib ng taas ng baha makaabot lamang sa trabaho para sa iilang pisong hindi nga kayang lamnan ang kumakalam na sikmura", Revilla remarked.

The dream of providing a "living wage that is not only fair, but truly just in every sense of the word", has, at long last, become within reach. And it is nothing less than much-deserved especially considering that our laborers are considered to be the backbone of the economy, he added.