Andrie Hans Jones

The House of Representatives was left in dismay after the Senate failed to convene a bicameral conference committee on June 11, the final session day of the 19th Congress, effectively killing the proposed legislated wage hike bill.


According to House Spokesperson Princess Abante, the Senate's lack of action was a “deliberate act that led to the bill’s death on the final night of session.”

“Let’s not sugarcoat it — the Senate killed the 200 pesos wage hike bill,” Abante said in a statement.

The lower chamber had proposed a 200-peso daily wage increase, while the Senate pushed for only 100 pesos, but neither version was ratified during the June 11 plenary session.

Abante said the House conferees were prepared to negotiate the final version, only to be met with silence from the upper chamber.

“Last night was the final session of the 19th Congress. No bicam. No compromise. No wage hike. And the reason is simple: ‘Ayaw ng Senado makipag-usap. Gusto nila, tanggapin na lang nang buo ang 100 pesos nila. Bakit? Bakit binabarya ng Senado ang mga manggagawa?’” she added.

"Our bicam conferees raised their eyebrows when asked what happened. They were ready to sit down, defend the 200-peso proposal, and fight for labor — only to find out the Senate had no intention of meeting at all," Abante uttered.

Senators, however, criticized the House for passing its version too late, leaving little time for reconciliation before adjournment.

Senate President Chiz Escudero questioned the foundation of the House's proposal and pointed out that the Senate had already passed its 100-peso version last year.

"Ang problema ng mga miyembro ng bicam pati ako personally, hindi ko alam kung saan nila hinugot ito. At sa parte ng Senado, ni walang pagdinig na ginawa kaugnay sa ganito kataas na halaga," Escudero explained.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva stressed that he had written to the House labor committee chair, pushing them to adopt the Senate version, following indications from a House delegation that it was open to ratifying the said measure.

But the House insisted on a bicameral meeting to resolve differences, a move Villanueva said was ill-timed.

“The Senate is about to adjourn. Definitely, we don’t have time for a bicam. Time is really not on our side,” Villanueva emphasized.

“We are being pushed to the brink and being made a scapegoat. At the end of the day, this will be at the expense of the workers,” he noted.

Several labor groups condemned the Senate’s refusal to pass the 200 pesos wage hike, saying that “the bill could have brought relief to millions of workers barely surviving on starvation wages.”

“Sa lahat ng drama at palabas ng mga nasa kapangyarihan, ang mga manggagawa na naman ang naiwan sa ere,” Kammanggagawa Partylist Rep. Eli San Fernando stated.

ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro also condemned the upper chamber.

"The Senate's refusal to pass the 200 pesos wage hike exposes their true allegiance. They serve the capitalist class, not the Filipino people; while they waste time on political theatrics, millions of workers continue to struggle with poverty wages,” she said.

As of March 2025, Ibon Foundation, a non-profit organization advocating for marginalized sectors, estimated that a livable wage for a family of five should be 1,222 pesos daily.

In contrast, the current daily minimum wage falls at only 645 pesos, which is barely half of the estimated amount prescribed.