More than 1.1 million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila will receive a record P85 daily wage increase in two tranches starting July 19, giving workers an immediate pay boost while allowing employers more time to adjust to higher labor costs.
Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino announced the increase on Tuesday during a dialogue with market vendors and construction workers in Malabon City, saying the adjustment follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to improve workers’ welfare while balancing the interests of businesses.
Under Wage Order No. NCR-27, workers will receive the first P60 increase on July 19, 2026, followed by an additional P25 on Jan. 20, 2027.
Once fully implemented, the new rates raise the daily minimum wage for non-agriculture workers to P780, while employees in agriculture, small retail and service establishments with 15 workers or fewer, and manufacturing firms employing fewer than 10 workers will receive P743 a day.
Tolentino described the staggered rollout as a compromise that delivers meaningful income gains to workers while giving employers time to absorb higher labor costs. He also thanked the business sector for backing the wage adjustment and urged companies to comply with the order.
The Department of Labor and Employment, together with the National Wages and Productivity Commission, will launch information campaigns and assist enterprises in addressing possible wage distortions arising from the increase.
The NCR wage adjustment could also influence wage-setting in the rest of the country. Regional wage boards have begun consultations and reviews ahead of the anniversary dates of their latest wage orders, in line with the President’s directive to reassess pay levels within 60 days before existing wage orders lapse, potentially opening the door to fresh increases in other regions.
