The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) lambasts the insistence of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque even echoed by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro that a family of four can celebrate Christmas with a ₱500 noche buena.
“You can never ask everyday Filipinos to shrink their noche buena just because the Government refuses to raise their wages, especially at this time when our people are marching against the trillions squandered on inexistent and substandard flood control projects while our workers are still being denied the long-overdue ₱200 legislated daily wage hike. It is out of this world, out of touch, and completely out of tune with the harsh reality our people live every day,” underscored TUCP Party-list Representative and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza who authored House Bill No. 88 for the ₱200 daily minimum wage increase.
DTI Secretary Roque insisted “Puwede siya talaga. Kung tutuusin, it’s really pasok for a family of four” while Press Officer Castro added that “It depends on what you’ll buy, what you’re planning to buy because there are those pre-packaged items like chopsuey. Those are cheap. Then, you buy rice noodles and soy sauce.”
“We urge Secretary Roque and Undersecretary Castro to stop lecturing Filipinos how to stretch their budgets that are already stretched to the breaking point. Rather than setting what should be ‘enough,’ the Government must ensure that everyday Filipinos earn enough, either by taking less through taxes or giving more through wage increases. Trust will never be rebuilt by a Government that can justify a ₱500 noche buena while blocking a ₱200 wage hike,” stated Mendoza.
