Manila, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced that private-sector workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) will receive an ₱85 increase in their daily minimum wage.
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino made the announcement during his visit to Malabon City, where he also held a dialogue with market vendors.
According to the new minimum wage order, more than 1.1 million minimum wage earners are expected to benefit from the wage increase.
The ₱85 increase will be implemented in two tranches.
The first ₱60 will take effect on July 19, 2026, while the remaining ₱25 will be added in January 2027.
As a result, the daily minimum wage for workers in the non-agriculture sector will increase from ₱695 to ₱780.
Meanwhile, workers in the agriculture sector (both plantation and non-plantation), as well as those employed in retail and service establishments with at least 15 employees, will receive ₱743 per day, up from ₱658.
The ₱743 daily wage will also apply to employees of manufacturing establishments with at least 10 regular workers.
DOLE urged employers to comply with the new minimum wage order.
The agency also stated that the ₱85 increase is the largest wage hike ever implemented in Metro Manila’s history.
“₱85 IS STILL NOT ENOUGH” – LABOR GROUPS AND LAWMAKERS
Meanwhile, several labor organizations expressed dissatisfaction with the announced wage increase.
According to the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), the ₱85 increase is still insufficient, arguing that it is too small compared with the repeated increases in fuel prices, electricity rates, and other everyday living expenses faced by ordinary workers.
For his part, ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio, who continues to advocate for a ₱1,200 daily minimum wage, said that the additional ₱85 is still far from providing a living wage, especially since a family now reportedly needs about ₱1,300 per day to cover its basic necessities.
Meanwhile, Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña described the wage increase as being given in installments.
While he acknowledged that it is a positive step for workers, he stressed that the wage hike should be enacted into law to ensure that Filipino workers are better able to cope with the rising cost of basic goods in the country.