Presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao pitched for an increase in monthly minimum wages of Filipinos, which is currently Php5,000.
He went to Balintawak Public Market and Farmers’ Market in Cubao to do a “palengke challenge” with a budget of Pph5,000.
He said only Php2 was left from his budget after buying rice, vegetables, chicken, and fish. The meagre budget allotted for 20 days for a family of four could not afford to buy pork or beef, he said.
Pacquaio said it “demonstrates the struggles of the majority of Filipinos” who are minimum wage earners.
“Hindi nga ako nakabili ng karne ng baboy o baka dahil talagang hanggang manok lang, isdang tilapia at galunggong ang ating nabili… Paano pa kaya iyong mahihirap nating kababayan na kung mamili ay tingi-tingi lang?” he said.
He noted that an average Filipino family spends some 30 percent of their income on food and in Metro Manila, the minimum wage is at Php537 a day.
Under Republic Act No. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act, each region in the Philippines has a unique minimum wage set by the regional wage boards. This is based on the cost of living and poverty threshold.
