A few days after supervisors of PLDT Inc. held another protest at the Makati City office of the country’s biggest and most popular telecommunications and digital services company, a labor NGO called on the company to stop slowing down ongoing CBA negotiations with the workers.

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) cited claims by the Gabay ng Unyon sa Telekomunikasyon ng mga Superbisor (GUTS) that after 36 sessions since November 2025, CBA negotiations have not reached wage hikes and other substantial agenda.

“PLDT supervisors play an important role in the economy, ensuring non-stop connectivity for the biggest corporations and ultimately the public. Unfortunately, the PLDT management is not recognizing their value and are disconnecting them from improvements in their wages and labor rights,” said Kamz Deligente, CTUHR executive director.

Deligente said that PLDT workers have become worried and restive as previous CBA negotiations, which started in November, ended in February or March of the following year. Current CBA negotiations, in contrast, have not even reached discussions of economic CBA provisions.

“Amidst the soaring prices of basic goods and services, PLDT’s workers are understandably eager to forward proposals for wage and benefits increase and other improvements in their rights at work. The PLDT management, unfortunately, appears to have other plans,” Deligente stated.

CTUHR said that despite their title, most PLDT supervisors, which number almost 3,700 nationwide, do not lead teams of rank-and-file workers and are practically workers themselves. PLDT supervisors under GUTS have forwarded a 25% wage increase, even as they are ready to bargain, based on their experience of receiving 7-8% increases.

“We hope that PLDT will not be another one of those companies that are perfectly capable of granting their workers’ demands but refuse to. It should not be one of those companies that are at the forefront of modern communications technology but keep workers’ rights at a backward state,” Deligente added.

Despite a 7% decrease in its net income from P32.32 billion in 2024 to P30.01 billion in 2025, PLDT Inc, owned by prominent business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, continues to rake in huge profits and lead its sector, and has seen increasing net incomes in previous years. The company’s website showscases its products – PLDT Home, Enterprise and Global; ePLDT, Smart, TNT, Maya and Sun.

“PLDT’s income has increased in recent years, and its workers have contributed a lot to the company’s leading position. Now that workers are facing a hard time because of the rising cost of living, the company should give its workers their due so their families can cope,” said Deligente.