Manila: Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero and other senators have rejected claims that they obstructed the wage hike bill, highlighting that the House of Representatives had over a year to address the legislation but only acted in the eleventh hour. Escudero criticized the House for shifting blame to the Senate when it had ample time to review the bill. The Senate had passed its version, which proposed a PHP100 daily wage increase for private sector workers, in February 2024.

According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero asserted that if the House intended to adopt the Senate's proposal, it could have done so by indicating its decision in plenary. This would have facilitated the bill's direct submission to Malaca±ang for presidential approval. Senator Joel Villanueva, who leads the Senate Committee on Labor, corroborated that discussions with House leaders suggested their willingness to accept the Senate's version. However, instead of taking formal steps, the House only forwarded its PHP200 version for third reading on June 11, the session's final day.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who initially introduced the Senate's wage hike bill, expressed dissatisfaction with the House's push for a PHP200 increase without supporting data. He warned that adopting such a measure could lead to a presidential veto, compromising its success. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada echoed this frustration, noting the House's delayed action despite having over 16 months to deliberate on the bill.

Estrada directed criticism at House spokesperson Princess Abante, who accused the Senate of stalling the PHP200 proposal. He emphasized that the Senate had passed its version well in advance and advised TUCP Rep. Raymond Mendoza to adopt it to avoid bicameral delays, but the suggestion was reportedly declined by the House.

The senators emphasized that the delay could have been averted if the House acted sooner and pointed out that adopting another chamber's version without a bicameral conference is not unprecedented. Senate Bill No. 2534, approved in February 2024, called for a PHP100 wage increase based on committee hearings and economic analyses. Escudero concluded that both legislative bodies must now refile their versions in the upcoming Congress.