THE Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday confirmed the ad interim appointment of Bienvenido Laguesma as Labor secretary a week after he faced the bicameral panel.

The CA on September 14 suspended deliberations on Laguesma’s appointment as some lawmakers still wanted to ask him about issues hounding the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the labor sector.

Laguesma said that based on the state of the economy, the DoLE believes that regional wage fixing is still the “better approach” in addressing wage concerns of workers nationwide.

He made the remark when Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros asked him about his views on some proposals to abolish the regional wage boards to increase workers’ income and address wage inequality in the Philippines.

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito sponsored Laguesma’s confirmation at the CA’s plenary session, noting that Laguesma “is an institution in DoLE.”

The senator said Laguesma served DoLE for 22 years, rising from the ranks within the organization until his optional retirement in 1996.

Ejercito also said Laguesma started his career in the Labor department as a mediator-arbiter in 1976 during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

“From there, he occupied various significant positions in the department from being a labor arbiter to being its undersecretary.”

Laguesma was called again to serve by then-president Joseph “Erap” Estrada in 1998, this time as DoLE secretary.

Laguesma’s contribution to the labor sector “transcends administrations,” Ejercito said.

“With the country’s current employment rate at 94.8 percent in July 2022, I trust that Secretary Laguesma endeavors to further improve this number so that no Filipino will be left behind in life,” Ejercito said.

Hontiveros deplored that Republic Act 6727 or “the Wage Rationalization Act” “does not provide even close to what workers need for a decent life despite the guarantee of a living wage under the Philippine Constitution.”

“The minimum wage varies across the 17 regions and in every region minimum wage may also differ on the basis of the sector the worker belongs to such as agricultural or non-agricultural,” she said.

The senator added that based on the labor force participation rate, as of July 2022, there was an increase of six percent to 65.2 percent year on year from 59.4 percent.

“This means that there has been an expansion of employment opportunities and that more firms are looking to hire workers,” Hontiveros said.

Senators Francis Tolentino and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada also expressed support for Laguesma’s confirmation.

“I am very sure that with the background and experience of Secretary Laguesma, he will be able to contribute to the expansion and growth of the Philippine economy,” Tolentino said.

“This representation is of the firm belief that with his competence, patriotism and unblemished record, Attorney Bienvenido Laguesma, true to his Spanish name, is a welcome addition to the [Marcos Jr.] Cabinet,” Estrada said.