Labor Day wage hike: Cebu workers voice struggles, hopes

Construction workers work on a building in Cebu City in this 2015 photo. (CDN DIGITAL FILE)

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Beneath the towering skyline of Cebu’s booming construction industry, 43-year-old Reynaldo works long, dangerous hours mixing cement and hauling steel. Yet he returns home each night wondering if today’s pay will be enough for tomorrow’s meal.

A construction worker employed by a private firm in Cebu City, Reynaldo, who requested anonymity for security reasons, juggles the burden of providing for three children —a 15-year-old high schooler, a 7-year-old elementary student, and a toddler — on a salary he says no longer meets even their most basic needs.

“Sa tinuod lang, maayo na kaayo na. Karon, ang sweldo nga among madawat hapit dili na igo para sa among adlaw-adlaw nga gasto. Lisod ug peligroso ang trabaho sa construction, pero ang sweldo mura’g dili mohaom sa kalisod sa trabaho. Taas na kaayo ang presyo sa pagkaon, pamasahe, ug mga kinahanglanon sa eskwela sa akong mga anak, mao nga ang sweldo karon dili na gyud igo,” Reynaldo told CDN Digital.

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His views reflect a rising demand across the country, as workers’ groups, in the lead-up to this year’s Labor Day, push for a daily minimum wage of P1,200. They say this amount is needed to keep up with increasing living expenses and years of little to no wage increases.

‘P1,200 minimum wage will be a lifeline’

When asked what a P1,200 minimum wage would mean for his family, Reynaldo said it would be “life-changing.” He explained that with the current wages, it is very difficult to cover daily expenses and provide for his family’s basic needs.

“Kung mahatagan mi ug P1,200, dako kaayo na nga tabang para namo. Maka-pakaon ko ug mas maayo sa akong pamilya, makabayad ko sa eskwelahan sa akong mga anak nga dili maglisod, ug basin makatigom pa ko gamay para sa mga emergency. Karon, usahay maglisod mi kung mupalit ug pagkaon o bayran ang pamasahe paingon sa trabaho. Stressful kaayo,” he said.

While some argue that a drastic wage hike could slow down hiring or construction projects, Reynaldo believes that better pay could, in fact, lead to safer and more efficient work.

“Sakto nga mabalaka gyud ang amo mga amo sa gasto, pero kami pud nga mga trabahante angay nga makabuhi ug tarong. Kung gamay ra kaayo ang sweldo, dali ra ma-discourage ang mga trabahante o magkuha pa ug lain trabaho para lang makabuhi, nga makaapekto sa safety ug trabaho. Kung patas ang sweldo, mas motivated mi ug mas makapokus sa trabaho. Naga-ampo ko nga makakita ug solusyon ang gobyerno ug mga amo para ani,” he said.

Reynaldo, like many others, says that the current minimum wage simply falls short of meeting the needs of working families.

“Dili gyud igo oy. Taas ug lisod ang among trabaho, pero mura’g dili mohaom ang sweldo sa kalisod ug oras nga among gigugol. Nagataas ang gasto sa kinabuhi pero halos pareho ra gihapon ang sweldo. Kinahanglan namo ug sweldo nga makasuporta sa pamilya, dili lang para makabuhi adlaw-adlaw,” he added.

Government weighs in: ‘Careful study needed’

The push for a P1,200 Labor Day wagew hike comes at a time when economic pressures weigh heavily on both workers and businesses.

In an exclusive interview with CDN Digital, Lawyer Roy Buenafe, the regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Central Visayas, explained that wage-setting is a complex balancing act.

“Ang atong pagpanday ug balaod in terms of minimum wage is still with the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Committee Board… kini nga ahensya mao ni ang nagtuon aron nga mabalanse nato ang panginahanglan sa atong mamumuo og ang kakayahan sa pagpanweldo sa atong mga pagpapatigayon,” Buenafe said.

He emphasized that while a wage hike could significantly improve workers’ lives, it could also strain small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which make up more than 90 percent of businesses in the region.

“More than 90% of our economy, labi sa atong pagpatigayon, naglangkob gyud ni sa atong mga micro and small. Kung too much or too high ang atong sweldo sa atong mga mamumuo diha sa micro and small, ang pangutana kaya pa ba kaha ni sa atong mga negosyanteng gagmay?” he pointed out.

Buenafe assured that the DOLE, through the RTWPB, continues to carefully study all proposals to ensure that any adjustment would not destabilize the economy.

“Ang position ana sa DOLE is padayon namong tun-an ang maong proposal aron nga dili ta mapandol sa atong mga desisyon nga pagahimuon,” he said.

Labor groups: Current wages ‘still not enough’

Progressive labor organizations have long called for stronger measures.

Rauf Sissay of Bayan Muna Partylist-Davao and Kilusang Mayo Uno-Southern Mindanao reiterated the urgent need for a substantial wage hike.

“Tungod gina recognize natu ang kahimtang sa kasamtangan nga nagapadayon ang pagpit-os sa ekonomikanhon nga kahimtang sa atoang mga mamumuo ug kominidad nga labing igo sa inflation or grabeng pagsaka sa palaliton,” Sissay said.

While pushing for the P1,200 Labor Day wage hike, he also urged the government to prioritize a P200 across-the-board wage hike pending in Congress.

Similarly, Ramon Rusil of Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Philippines Japan Active Carbon-FDLO lamented the current minimum wage levels and the perceived lack of urgency from the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Labor groups cited IBON Foundation data showing that while regional productivity rose by 62 percent from 2000 to 2023, the minimum wage increased by only 9 percent over the same period, a gap they argue illustrates systemic inequity.

Recent wage adjustments: Enough or not?

Despite small regional adjustments, such as the P29 daily wage increase recently approved in Davao Region under Wage Order No. RB XI-23, many workers say these increments still fall short.

In Central Visayas, the last adjustment in October 2024 raised daily minimum wages by P33 to P43, depending on the classification. However, workers say the price of essentials, from rice to school supplies, continues to outpace their earnings.

The Philippines maintains a region-based minimum wage setting system through the RTWPBs to reflect economic disparities across areas. Yet, labor groups argue that a national minimum wage is now necessary to address persistent gaps in living standards.

Legislative efforts in motion

At the national level, Speaker Martin Romualdez announced in January 2025 that the House of Representatives would push for a P200 daily minimum wage hike after consulting with labor groups.

“Ang lumalabas na consensus dito sa House of Representatives, pending ongoing public consultation, baka kayang dagdagan ng P200 bawat araw ang minimum wage,” Romualdez said.

Meanwhile, the Senate approved a P100 legislated minimum wage hike in March 2024.

Still, proposed wage hike bills in the House remain stalled in thecommittee level as of press time.

A hopeful Labor Day

This Labor Day, as rallies fill the streets and voices grow louder, workers like Reynaldo hold onto hope —hope that the government, employers, and the economy itself will find a way to recognize the dignity of labor not only through words but through meaningful action.

“Nag-ampo ko nga makakita ug solusyon ang gobyerno ug mga amo para ani,” Reynaldo said.

For Reynaldo and millions of others, the question is not whether they deserve better; it’s how much longer they must wait.