THE Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECoP) is hoping that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. rejects legislated wage hikes when he delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
In a statement over the weekend, ECoP President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said businesses are hoping that Mr. Marcos signals “that he does not favor any more legislated wage hikes in the future.”
The President is scheduled to deliver his report to Congress and outline his priority bills on July 29.
“We want to hear the President repeat that he has convened the regional wage boards and that wages are already being raised so that efforts to refile legislated wage hike bills will stop,” Mr. Ortiz-Luis said.
“They know nothing will come out of it because I think these attempts will just be vetoed by the President,” he added.
He said that a P50 wage hike for Metro Manila took effect on July 18, while boards in other regions are currently reviewing their respective wage increases.
Also speaking as president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport), Mr. Ortiz-Luis said Mr. Marcos names as a priority a bill to amend and enhance the Magna Carta for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
“The law tasks the government to promote MSME development by providing various assistance, incentives, and support to small entrepreneurs,” he said.
“The proposed bill seeks to extend the mandatory allocation of MSME loans by banks and to remove the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulatory cover on SBCorp. (Small Business Corp.) to allow the latter to grant more development loans to MSMEs,” he added.
Philexport is also seeking the passage of the Customs Amnesty Bill, which aims to help raise additional government revenue through voluntary disclosure without imposing new taxes.
“It will clear the Bureau of Customs of pending liquidation accounts and prevent alleged harassment of importers using these pending transactions,” he added.
Other priority measures identified by the exporters are the proposed International Maritime Trade Competitiveness Act, amendments to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Charter, the proposed National Quality Infrastructure Act, the proposed Konektadong Pinoy Act, and the proposed PhilPorts Act. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
