MANILA, Philippines — The fight over Metro Manila’s minimum wage has taken another turn after labor groups protested the newly approved ₱60 daily wage increase, arguing that workers should not be made to settle for a new order while the original ₱85 wage hike remains tied up in court.
The latest dispute centers on Wage Order No. NCR-28, approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board–National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) on September 7 and subsequently forwarded to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) for review.
Labor groups gathered as the NWPC considered the new wage order, demanding clarification over how the ₱60 increase was formulated and questioning whether the government’s latest move effectively abandons the previously approved ₱85 increase under Wage Order No. NCR-27.
Workers question the shift from ₱85 to ₱60
The controversy stems from the fact that NCR Wage Order No. 27 originally provided an ₱85 daily increase, to be released in two tranches.
Under that order, the first ₱60 increase was supposed to raise the minimum wage for non-agricultural workers from ₱695 to ₱755 per day, followed by another ₱25 increase that would bring the rate to ₱780 by January 2027.
For agricultural workers and certain small establishments covered by the lower wage category, the rates were scheduled to rise from ₱658 to ₱718, followed by another ₱25 increase.
However, the implementation of NCR-27 was halted following legal challenges filed by employers.
The resulting court orders prevented workers from receiving the first tranche even though the wage order had already been issued.
That legal battle prompted the regional wage board to approve NCR Wage Order No. 28, this time providing a one-time ₱60 increase.
If affirmed by the NWPC and properly published, the new order could raise the NCR minimum wage from ₱695 to ₱755 for non-agricultural workers, with implementation potentially beginning around September 26 or 27.
Labor groups: Why issue another wage order?
Labor organizations have strongly questioned the government’s approach.
The National Wage Coalition, which includes the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), accused authorities of using a consultation process that workers allegedly were not adequately informed would be used as a basis for another wage order.
TUCP representatives also went to the NWPC to submit a position paper and seek clarification regarding NCR-28.
They questioned why a second wage order was issued while NCR-27 remains the subject of ongoing litigation.
Partido Manggagawa likewise criticized the wage-setting process, arguing that the controversy exposes deeper problems with the country’s regional wage system.
The group said workers face the same rising prices for food, electricity, transportation and other necessities regardless of region, yet minimum-wage increases remain fragmented according to regional wage boards.
It renewed its call for a legislated wage increase and a national minimum wage rather than relying exclusively on successive regional wage orders.
DOLE: ₱60 under NCR-28 is not a reduction from ₱85
The Department of Labor and Employment, however, has rejected the characterization that NCR-28 cuts the previously approved ₱85 increase.
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said the ₱60 under NCR-28 should not be treated as a deduction because NCR-27 has not actually been implemented due to the court injunction.
DOLE officials have described NCR-28 as a way of providing workers with an increase while the legal dispute surrounding NCR-27 continues.
During a House budget hearing, DOLE-NCR Director Roy Buenafe said the new order had already been transmitted to the NWPC for the next stage of review.
The department has also characterized the new wage order as a proactive response to the difficulties faced by workers while the court case remains unresolved.
The court battle is still not over
The controversy cannot be separated from the legal fight surrounding NCR-27.
Two construction companies challenged the wage order, resulting in temporary and subsequent injunctive orders that prevented its implementation.
Labor groups have argued that courts should not interfere with wage-setting proceedings, citing Article 126 of the Labor Code, which restricts courts and other entities from issuing injunctions or temporary restraining orders against proceedings before the NWPC and regional wage boards.
The Supreme Court is also dealing with challenges related to the lower-court orders.
Labor groups have urged the high court to intervene, arguing that workers continue to lose income while the wage increase remains suspended.
Importantly, the Supreme Court’s action on the case does not mean it has already ruled in favor of either side.
What happens next?
The immediate question now rests with the National Wages and Productivity Commission.
The NWPC must determine whether to affirm the new NCR-28 wage order.
If approved, the one-time ₱60 increase could finally give Metro Manila minimum-wage earners the first pay adjustment originally expected under NCR-27—although labor groups insist that workers should not be forced to give up the remaining ₱25 promised under the original ₱85 order.
The NWPC’s decision therefore carries consequences beyond the amount of the increase.
It could also determine how the government navigates the unresolved legal battle over NCR-27—and whether the controversial two-wage-order situation in Metro Manila becomes a temporary solution or a sign of a much bigger problem in the country’s wage-setting system.
For millions of workers watching the dispute, the question is now becoming increasingly difficult to ignore:
Will ₱60 finally reach their paychecks—or will the battle for the full ₱85 continue in court?
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