Low Paid Filipinos

ILO Reveals Low Pay IN PH

By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO

April 25, 2012, 6:44pm  

MANILA, Philippines — A study released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) revealed that 15 per cent of employees in the Philippines are lowly paid, lower than what Cambodians and Indonesians are receiving.   

Between the male and female employees, the latter is more at a disadvantage at 18.2 per cent compared to male workers at 12.1 percent

The international labor office, then, called on the concerned countries to continue improving their wage setting mechanisms, either through collective bargaining agreements and minimum wages, as well as developing sound wage policies.

“These can help reduce vulnerabilities and the risk of low-paid workers falling into poverty,” said the ILO.

“In the Philippines, the proportion of low-paid workers was lower at 14.5 percent in 2010,” said the ILO study released April 2012.

Based on the Asia-Pacific Labor Market Update, the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific said low pay is measured as those having less than two-thirds of the standing median pay in the country.

The figure is lower than the 31.3 percent of Cambodia and 26.4 percent of Indonesia.

The study further noted that Filipino female workers have a higher percentage of having low wages with 18.2 percent. 

This is higher than the 12.1 percent registered among Filipino male workers, said the ILO. 

“While there have been positive trends for male employees, women have not seen comparable improvements as the proportion of female employees in low earnings has risen,” said the study. 

http://mb.com.ph/node/358036/ilo-reveal#.UOlKLyAdi24

REACTION

We cannot deny the fact that the Philippines is one of the countries which have a high rate of poverty. This is something that we must not be proud of. Poverty is a “disease” that our country seemed to be having for a very long time and even to this time, there’s still no sufficient solution for this problem. There are many factors that contributes to the problem of poverty, and one of which is the low-pay or low salary here in the Philippines.

I kept seeing on the news that there are some improvements in our economy these past few years. They said that the Philippines is slowly becoming more progressive than before. I cannot stop myself from disagreeing with what they are saying. It is because if the Philippines is really becoming progressive, then why are most of the workers still receive low payments for their work? The government kept on telling the Filipino people that the future will be brighter through their projects, but all I can see is that some of the projects that they are doing seemed to be another factor why the workers have low wages.

I cannot blame those employees who kept on asking the government to increase their salaries. It is the responsibility of the government to make sure that the people can support their families through their jobs. But how can a person support his family if he cannot even provide their basic needs?

I am also disturbed by the issue about the women being less fortunate to find jobs than men. It is because I know that there is gender discrimination or bias. Most people think that women cannot perform the jobs that the men do but for me, everybody is capable of doing things. The gender is not important, but the talent and the skills that a person can contribute to the society.

The issue of low-pay in the Philippines proves why a large part of the country is the less fortunate group or the poor. People cannot afford the basic things that they need, and that is why the population of the poor expands every year. Also, because of the low-pay, many Filipino workers are forced to work abroad in order for them to sustain the needs of their families. Many are suffering abroad because they know that their efforts will be well-paid off. I also think that it is best to work abroad than in the Philippines because for me, there is a greater possibility to have a good life when working abroad than in the Philippines. I do not regret being a Filipino and living in the Philippines because I am proud to be one, but I am just being practical and realistic. Let’s all face the truth, everybody needs money and will do anything to have it.