Wage board clears P60 NCR wage hike while P85 order remains frozen

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila's wage board approved a new P60 daily minimum wage increase in an attempt to deliver the first tranche of a P85 hike tied up in court since July.

The new Wage Order NCR-28 could raise the non-agricultural minimum wage from P695 to P755 later this month if affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission. But lawmakers warned that issuing a second wage order could complicate the continuing legal fight over Wage Order NCR-27, which also provides another P25 increase in January.

During a House hearing on the Department of Labor and Employment's proposed 2027 budget Tuesday, September 8, DOLE-National Capital Region Director Roy Buenafe said the regional wage board approved Wage Order No. NCR-28 on Monday night.

The order has been forwarded to the NWPC for review.

Buenafe said the P60 increase would be implemented in a single tranche and could take effect around September 26 or 27 if affirmed by the commission and published as required.

The increase would bring the daily minimum wage for non-agricultural workers from P695 to P755.

For agricultural workers, as well as employees of small retail and service establishments and small manufacturing firms covered by the lower NCR minimum, the rate would rise from P658 to P718.

The wage board approved the order in a 4-3 vote, with two labor representatives and one employer representative dissenting.

Wage Order NCR-27 granted an P85 increase in two tranches: P60 beginning July 25 and another P25 on Jan. 20, 2027.

Its implementation was blocked before the first tranche could take effect following court challenges filed by employers.

"The non-implementation of Wage Order No. NCR-27 resulted from the successive issuance of judicial injunctive reliefs, specifically a Status Quo Ante Order (SQAO) issued July 24, 2026, a Temporary Restraining Order, and a Writ of Preliminary Injunction," Wage Order No. NCR-28 stated.

DOLE and the wage authorities continue to challenge the injunction and maintain that wage order remains valid.

The Supreme Court is also considering a separate petition by labor groups seeking to nullify the lower court orders that blocked its implementation.

Rep. Sarah Elago (Gabriela party-list), Elijah San Fernando (Kamanggagawa party-list) and Deputy Speaker Raymond Mendoza (Trade Union Congress Party-list) questioned why another wage order was issued while the P85 increase remains the subject of pending litigation.

They warned that the new order could be seen as accepting the court injunction and settling for P60 instead of pursuing the full P85 increase under the original order.

"Mali ang naging injunction sa Wage Order 27 at kapag tinanggap ito ng DOLE, at ngayon meron nang Wage Order 28, para na rin silang pumayag na legal ito," Elago said.

("The injunction against Wage Order No. 27 was wrong, and if DOLE accepts it and now there is Wage Order No. 28, it would be as if they agreed that the injunction was legal.")

Labor groups have argued that the lower courts had no authority to restrain the wage order, citing Article 126 of the Labor Code.

The provision prohibits courts, tribunals and other entities from issuing injunctions or temporary restraining orders against proceedings before the NWPC or regional wage boards.

Whether that prohibition invalidates the court orders blocking Wage Order NCR-27 is among the issues raised in the pending legal challenges.

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