NCR wage hike takes effect on June 4

MANILA, Philippines — The new minimum wage rates in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Western Visayas (Region 6) shall take effect early next month, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced yesterday.

In a statement, Bello said the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) has affirmed the salary increases ordered by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) for the NCR or Metro Manila and Western Visayas.

For Metro Manila, the new minimum wage will take effect on June 4; while for Western Visayas, it starts on June 5, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

Under Wage Order No. NCR-23 dated May 13, 2022, the daily minimum wage in NCR shall increase by P33, bringing the new basic pay rate to P570 for non-agriculture sector workers and P533 for agriculture workers.

Bello, who chairs the NWPC, noted that the commission also upheld last Friday the wage orders by the RTWPBs in Cagayan Valley (Region 2), MIMAROPA (Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan or Region 4B), and SOCCSKSARGEN (Region 12).

He said the wage orders grant higher pay for domestic workers in Cagayan Valley; minimum wage earners and domestic workers in MIMAROPA and minimum wage earners in SOCCSKSARGEN.

Based on Wage Order No. 02-DW-04 by RTWPB in Cagayan Valley on May 18, a P1,000 monthly wage increase was granted for domestic workers in the region. This brings their monthly minimum salary from P4,000 to P5,000.

Wage Order No. RB-MIMAROPA-10 grants an increase of P35 for workers in Region 4B. This means that the minimum daily pay is now P329 in establishments with less than 10 workers and P355 in establishments employing 10 or more workers.

On the other hand, Wage Order No. RB-MIMAROPA-DW-03 grants an increase of P1,000 to the monthly wage rate of domestic workers, hiking their basic pay to P4,500 a month.

Finally, the RTWPB XII’s Wage Order No. RBXII-22 increases the daily wage by P32 in SOCCSKSARGEN. But this will be given in tranches of P16 upon the effectivity of the Wage Order and P16 on Sept. 1, 2022.

This would eventually bring the new minimum wage rate in the region to P368 for the non-agriculture sector and P347 for agriculture/service/retail establishments.

The wage orders shall take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of regional circulation.