MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino groups have launched a global campaign advocating for a family living wage for private and public sector workers in the Philippines, as announced in an online press conference led by Migrante International on Wednesday.  

Filipino migrants from the USA, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific are calling for a minimum wage increase, citing the rising costs of essential goods and the growing number of Filipinos seeking employment abroad due to insufficient wages at home.  

The groups support local workers’ demands for a P1,200 daily minimum wage in the private sector and a P33,000 monthly salary for public sector employees. 

Migrante International said that the high cost of basic goods has made it difficult for local wages and even OFW remittances to sustain Filipino families.

“Hindi sumasapat ang kasalukuyang sahod na kinikita ng ating mga manggagawang Pilipino para mabuhay ng disente ang kanilang pamilya,” said Josie Pingkihan, Deputy Secretary General of Migrante International.

The militant trade union center Kilusang Mayo Uno is among the groups advocating for a P1,200 family living wage for workers.  

Currently, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has set the daily minimum wage at up to P745, depending on the region.

“Ang manggagawa ay baon sa utang, malnourished at hindi nakakapag-aral ang aming anak dahil napakababa ang aming sahod…sinalubong pa tayo ng pagtaas ng presyo ng kuryente, tubig, SSS, at krudo,” said Jerome Adonis, Kilusang Mayo Uno Secretary General. 

“Hindi hugot sa hangin ang Php 1,200 family living wage. Iyan ang kinakailangan para mabuhay ang isang pamilyang Pilipino sa harap ng pagtaas ng mga presyo ng bilihin,” he said.

During the press conference, overseas Filipino groups unveiled their manifesto of unity advocating for a family living wage in the Philippines. As of the event, over 156 organizations of OFWs and overseas Filipinos from five global regions had signed the manifesto.

“Our families should not have to constantly rely on the remittances born from our working two, to three, or even more jobs under exploitative and dangerous conditions. And as workers in our host countries, we will continue to stand in solidarity with our fellow workers in their just calls for a living wage,” migrant groups said in their manifesto.

The manifesto concluded with a call for President Marcos Jr. to address the issues of low wages, poor working conditions, landlessness, and the harassment and attacks faced by marginalized workers and farmers across the country.

‘Raising wages in the Philippines’

One of the organizations supporting the Philippine minimum wage hike is the Hong Kong-based Filipino Migrant Workers Union. 

The union said that a family living wage in the Philippines would help families navigate the current economic hardships they are facing.

“Gagaan din para sa amin kung tataas ang ang sahod ng aming mga kaanak at pamilya. Magiging katuwang namin sana sila at hindi na lamang sa aming remittances nakaasa,” said Sherry Siganay, Secretary General of the Filipino Migrant Workers Union.

The group will be having an upcoming nationwide protests on January 31 to begin realizing migrants’ calls to raise wages and lower the costs of basic goods in the Philippines.

Gov’t to lower unemployment in PH

While the migrant groups held their conference, Marcos, speaking at a career conference, said the government is “committed” to addressing the country’s unemployment rate and emphasized the role of the private sector in creating job opportunities.  

“Mas mabigat at mas malakas ang suporta ngayon ng pamahalaan para naman kayo ay mas may kakayanan upang makakuha ng magagandang trabaho,” he said.

In his speech, the President noted a decline in the unemployment rate, which stood at 3.2 percent in November 2024, compared to 3.6 percent in the same month the previous year.

Latest Philippine Statistics Authority figure shows a total of 1.66 million unemployed Filipinos in December 2024, 

This number, however, is lower compared to the 1.83 million unemployed Filipinos in November 2023 and 1.97 million in October 2024.

In November 2024, the country’s employment rate was 96.8 percent, slightly higher than 96.4 percent in November 2023 and 96.1 percent in October 2024.

In terms of actual numbers, there were 49.54 million employed people in November 2024. This was slightly lower than the 49.64 million recorded in November 2023 but higher than the 48.16 million in October 2024.