(Eagle News)–Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Sunday, May 27, said he has ordered wage boards to study the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law on workers in general.
Bello made the announcement amid what some say was a surge in the prices of commodities and services as a result of the imposition of excise tax on fuel under the law in particular.
“With or without petition, I gave an instruction or order sa lahat ng mga regional wage, tri-partite wage board namin na pag-aralan yung epekto ng TRAIN at pag-aralan din ang economic situation sa bawat region,” Bello said in a radio interview.
He said from this, the boards could make their recommendation.
“Alam naman natin na may negative effect sa ating mga manggagawa but we have to be very conscious naman,” he said.
He said the department was studying giving subsidies to the poorest of the poor if a wage increase was not possible.
He said for instance that he asked Finance Secretary Carlo Dominguez if a P500 monthly cash subsidy was possible.
According to him, Dominguez however said this was not possible.
“Pinagaaralan na natin,” he said.
Several senators have already called for the suspension of TRAIN, but the government said only a small percent in the increase of prices of commodities could be attributed to the same.