Many Filipinos need two to three jobs to provide for their families, according to the Commission on Population and Development (Popcom).
According to Popcom Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez III, just one job with a minimum wage is no longer enough to support a family.
“In places like NCR, you have to have two jobs. Outside of NCR, nakita namin na in many regions lalo na sa southern part ng Luzon, and in Visayas and Mindanao, you need to have around 3 jobs based on the minimum wage… mababa masyado iyong nasasagot ng minimum wage para sa needs ng Filipino family,” said Perez.
Popcom added that the data is worrying that the number of Filipino families below the poverty line or those who can be considered poor earning less than P12,000 per month has increased.
“Gumawa ng pag-aaral ang [PSA] ukol sa poverty sa Philippines comparing first half ng 2018 to the first half of 2021. Nakita na tumaas ang bilang ng pamilyang Pilipinong naghirap ‘no, from 4 million naging 4.6 million. So lumalabas na 26 million Filipinos are living below the cost of living and tumaas ito sa mga lugar na mataas ang COVID, iyong mga areas like NCR, Central Luzon, Central Visayas,” said Perez.
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Many Filipinos need 2-3 jobs to support their families – Popcom
In Metro Manila, the minimum wage will be raised to P570 per day next month. It is said to be scarce according to some labor groups who say that the salary should be more than one thousand pesos per day for a family of five to live decently.
The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines stressed that the system used in the country to determine the wage level of workers is no longer appropriate.
“Dapat living wage talaga ang tinitignan ang ating sinusubukan na makamit at hindi ang cheap labor o cheap wages,” said TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.
The group hopes that the next administration will listen more to the situation of the workers before it implements any policy.
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