Manila, Feb. 5 -- The call to certify the proposed wage hike bill as urgent got louder in Senate, with Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros stressing on Wednesday that Filipino workers cannot afford further delays amid the rising cost of living.

"Nothing is more urgent than raising our workers' wages. Their salaries must keep up with the rising prices of goods, transportation, and monthly bills," Hontiveros said in a news release.

She warned that every delay pushes more families deeper into poverty, calling for immediate action to fast-track the measure.

The House of Representatives has recently approved on second reading House Bill No. 11376, which mandates a PHP200 daily wage increase for private sector workers across all business ...