A lawmaker on Thursday questioned the World Bank’s reclassification of the Philippines as an upper-middle income country, asserting that it fails to reflect the true situation of workers who continue to receive low wages. In a statement, Party-list Rep. Antonio L. Tinio said the classification is meaningless as long as workers’ earnings remain below living wages. The report was published by BusinessWorld.
Tinio argued that macroeconomic indicators such as gross national income per capita do not capture the daily struggles of ordinary Filipinos. He noted that many workers still earn below the poverty threshold and cannot afford basic necessities despite the country's improved income classification.
The World Bank reclassified the Philippines to upper-middle income status based on 2025 data, but critics say the label masks persistent inequality and inadequate wages. The lawmaker urged the government to prioritize wage hikes and social protection over celebrating statistical achievements.