P35 minimum wage hike in Metro OK’d

MANILA, Philippines —  The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board has approved an increase of P35 in the daily minimum wage of workers in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) released the order yesterday, increasing the minimum wage to P645 for non-agriculture workers, from P610.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the new wage rate would take effect on June 17, or 15 days from its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

The last minimum wage increase in Metro Manila was implemented on July 16, 2023 at P610 for the non-agricultural sector and P573 for the agriculture sector.

According to DOLE, up to 988,243 minimum wage earners in the NCR will directly benefit from the wage order.

“About 1.7 million workers earning above the minimum pay may also benefit due to adjustments arising from the correction of wage distortion,” the DOLE said.

The labor department said the wage hike translates to an increase of at least 5.7 percent from the current daily minimum wage in Metro Manila.

It is equivalent to a five percent increase in wage-related benefits covering the 13th month pay, service incentive leave as well as social security benefits such as SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.

The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) said it would comply with the approved daily minimum wage for NCR workers.

“We will ask our members to implement the wage increase,” ECOP president Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr. said.

Insult for workers

Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas described the P35 wage adjustment as “insulting.”

Brosas said the wage hike is a “mere pittance that fails to address the dire economic situation of Filipino workers and their families.”

“This is an insult to Filipino workers. It’s different from the P25 wage hike implemented in 1989, and lower than the P40 hike granted last year. How can the government expect Metro Manila workers to survive on P645 per day when the family living wage stands at P1,200 and prices continue to soar?” she said.

Brosas said the new minimum wage “falls short of what Filipino families need to live with dignity.”

She pushed for the passage of House Bill 7568, which seeks an across-the-board wage adjustment of P750.

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas secretary general Jerome Adonis lamented that the wage hike is P5 lower than last year’s increase.

The labor group also criticized Marcos’ move to increase salaries through the regional wage boards instead of urging the House of Representatives to legislate a nationwide salary increase.

Adonis urged workers to hold protests during the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.

Renato Reyes, president of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said the announcement of the daily minimum wage increase is meant to promote Marcos’ administration to the public.

“Pampapogi lang sa SONA ni Marcos ang kakarampot na wage hike,” Reyes said.

He said P645 is still not enough to keep up with the soaring prices of basic goods. –  Sheila Crisostomo, Emmanuel Tupas, Louella Desiderio