By Kate Baclia-an
Time is gold. Yet.
Growing up, I witnessed my mother rise at 4 a.m. to prepare our breakfast and lunch. By 6:30 a.m., she was already on her way to work, returning only at 7 p.m. Midnight is when she finally allowed herself to rest.
It is a cycle she has grown too familiar with, but this daily routine is not only my mom’s but for many others too. It is the reality of many Filipinos who trade precious hours of their lives for wages that often barely keep up with the cost of living
In 2026, daily minimum wages across the Philippines range from roughly P400 to P755, depending on the region and sector. Meanwhile, the country’s inflation rate remained at 6.1% in August 2026.
And so, workers count their sleep on one hand and push through fatigue just to bring home something to eat, something to enjoy, perhaps even something to look forward to.
But it makes one wonder: How cruel is it to work for a salary that barely gets you through the day?
How could someone, privileged and comfortable, look at those at a disadvantage and think, “Let me exploit their skills, make them work ungodly hours, and pay them barely enough to survive? “
I do not think unfairness is enough to describe it. The situation is nothing short of dehumanizing.
And perhaps what makes it worse is how easily we have learned to accept it.
A problem so deeply rooted in society invites the same tired response: “Just be thankful that you are getting paid.”
But gratitude should never be weaponized to silence the exploited.
Someone who breaks their back working should not have to be grateful simply because they are being given the bare minimum. A paycheck does not automatically make exploitation acceptable, much less something that should be tolerated. And a job does not justify stripping someone of their time, rest, and dignity.
Time, after all, is the one thing no amount of money can ever repay. Yet somehow, it remains the easiest thing to take from those who can least afford to lose it.
