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Selective Wage Justice

VELVET DONUT | December 16, 2025

The 15 percent increase in the base pay through the new daily allowance of the Philippine Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP), rolled out in three tranches, has stirred public frustration as other occupations remain ignored. The government now questions why Filipinos are leaving the country, despite helping create the very conditions that push them away.

President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 107, granting MUP a base pay increase through three tranches with scheduled allowance raises every three years. Meanwhile, countless workers in other sectors continue to wait for any meaningful support.

With the daily budget raised to 350 pesos from the previous 150 to 250 pesos, workers from other fields are demanding fairness, especially when some earn not even half of that amount. They are not calling for equality, but for justice in their wages.

“Sa halip na yung budget distribution management ay i-divert sa mga ganitong klaseng project, dun sa kanila na papunta ang pera. Kung mabigyan ng bawat pamilya ng tig 300k, edi sana naalis tayo sa kahirapan,” political analyst Mark Neil H. Amarillo stated. He argued that the move benefits political interests by drawing more Filipinos into the military instead of uplifting all workers.

He stressed that simple recognition and appreciation could already help reduce labor migration. Instead, many Filipino workers remain unheard, underpaid, and unvalued.

While wages remain insufficient, public funds continue to find their way into corrupt politicians’ pockets, driving more Filipinos to seek better opportunities online. The country’s broken system leaves them no other choice.

If the government fails to ensure fair wages and treatment across all occupations, the workforce exodus will only worsen. Real solutions are needed, not policies that distract Filipinos from the deeper injustices they face.

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VELVET DONUT | December 16, 2025