WITH the new wage order in the National Capital Region (NCR) effective starting Friday, July 18, 2025, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is calling on private establishments in Metro Manila to ensure their compliance.
In a phone interview, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said all businesses covered by Wage Order No. NCR-26 are expected to comply with the P50 increase in the daily minimum pay for workers.
"We look forward to a voluntary and immediate compliance of affected enterprises of the NCR wage order," said Laguesma.
In June, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) - NCR issued Wage Order No. 26, which grants a P50 increase for minimum wage earners.
This will bring the daily minimum wage rate in NCR from P645 to P695 for the non-agriculture sector.
Similarly, it will increase the minimum pay from P608 to P658 for the agriculture sector, service and retail establishments employing 15 or less workers, and manufacturing establishments regularly employing less than 10 workers.
Around 1.2 million minimum wage earners in NCR are expected to directly benefit.
Meanwhile, retail and service establishments regularly employing not more than 10 workers and enterprises affected by natural calamities and/or human-induced disasters may apply for exemption from the wage increase.
All registered barangay micro business enterprises (BMBEs), on the other hand, are not covered by the minimum wage rate. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)