ENTREPRENEURS and business owners have to comply with the new wage hike effective last Saturday, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 Director Roy Buenafe urged on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.
With the devastation caused by the Sept. 30 earthquake in northern Cebu, Buenafe said the agency is preparing for several employers and business owners to request an exemption due to the calamity.
“Of course, I appealed to the business owners to comply with the new wage order as it benefits the ordinary workers and becomes more productive,” Buenafe said.
He warned that if a company failed to implement the order or had not been granted an exemption, it would be sanctioned and penalized.
On Sept. 11, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas approved minimum wage increases ranging from P37 to P47 for private workers and P1,000 to P2,000 for domestic workers in the region.
In Class A, a P39 increase was granted, setting the minimum wage at P540 in the expanded Metro Cebu area. Class B has a new minimum wage of P500.
For the affected micro, small and medium entrepreneurs’ workers in Northern Cebu, Buenafe said the agency has prepared interventions.
He explained the agency has opened more than 1,000 slots for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program.
“Since Oct. 1, they no longer have a means of income, so Dole 7 will be the one to give them work and compensation through a minimum wage,” Buenafe said.
These displaced workers will be qualified to receive P540 per day or P5,400 after 10 days of work, and additional beneficiaries may qualify due to ongoing profiling.
On Oct. 7, Dole 7 will be disbursing at least P12 million as the first batch of program beneficiaries for the first five days. Buenafe added that the Dole Central Office has pledged at least P100 million allocation for the program.
In the selection of beneficiaries, Dole 7 conducted an ocular inspection at the affected city and towns to identify and verify the beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries have to help in the clean-up and clearing operation, such as clearing debris from several strategic and economic areas in their jurisdiction, which will fast-track the economic recovery post-earthquake. / EHP