MANILA, Philippines – More than 1.1 million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila are set to receive a record P85 daily wage increase after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) finalized a new wage order that officials described as the largest single daily minimum wage hike ever granted in the National Capital Region (NCR).
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| DOLE announces a historic P85 daily wage hike in Metro Manila, raising the NCR minimum wage to P780 and benefiting 1.1 million workers. Photo courtesy: DOLE |
Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino announced the landmark wage adjustment during the “Pulong Talakayan kasama si Secretary Tolentino” in Malabon City, where he met with market vendors and construction workers to discuss the government's labor initiatives.
Tolentino said the wage increase fulfills the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to improve workers' welfare by raising wages while upholding the dignity of Filipino laborers.
“Bilang pagsunod din sa tagubilin ng ating mahal na Pangulong Marcos, itinataas po natin ang sweldo ng lahat ng manggagawa dito sa Metro Manila. Itinataas po natin sa isang makasaysayang P85 increase. Pinakamataas po ang P85 bawat araw sa pribadong sektor, ang pagtaas po ay ibibigay sa dalawang hulog,” Tolentino said, adding that around 1.1 million daily wage earners will benefit from the historic increase.
The wage adjustment will be implemented in two tranches, with a P60 increase taking effect on July 19, 2026, followed by an additional P25 on January 20, 2027, bringing the total increase to P85 per day.
Once fully implemented, the minimum daily wage for non-agricultural workers in Metro Manila will increase from P695 to P780, while workers in the agriculture sector, service and retail establishments employing 15 workers or fewer, and manufacturing firms with fewer than 10 employees will see their daily minimum wage rise from P658 to P743.
The new rates are contained in Wage Order No. NCR-27, which sets the phased implementation of the wage increase for covered private-sector workers in the region.
Tolentino thanked the employer sector for supporting the wage adjustment and urged businesses to comply with the wage order, saying the increase would help workers and their families cope with the rising cost of living.
The Department, through the National Wages and Productivity Commission and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-NCR, will conduct information campaigns and provide assistance to employers to address possible wage distortions and ensure proper implementation of the new wage order.
Meanwhile, DOLE said other regional wage boards across the country are conducting wage reviews and public consultations in line with President Marcos' directive to begin assessments within 60 days before the anniversary of their latest wage orders, paving the way for possible wage adjustments in other regions.
— The Summit Express
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