THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) welcomed on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the support expressed by the Philippine Senate for Wage Order No. NCR-27.
In a statement, Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said they welcome the filing of Senate Resolution 577 as it joins the DOLE's position for the immediate lifting of the temporary restraining order (TRO) of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
"We commend the leadership of the Senate for championing the urgent need to uphold statutory wage increases in NCR and all other regions in the future, and ensure fair compensation and dignified living conditions for Filipino workers," said Tolentino.
On Tuesday, August 4, a total of 21 senators signed a resolution urging the Pasig City RTC to immediately lift the TRO issued against the NCR wage order.
The labor chief also stressed that the NCR wage board followed due process before issuing the Wage Order NCR-27.
"We are the witnesses here. We are the ones attesting to the facts. We are the only ones confirming that the process was correct... that the P60 and P25 amounts provided were correct, and that the entire proceedings followed the Labor Code of the Philippines," said Tolentino.
Under Wage Order NCR-27, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) granted an P85 minimum wage increase in Metro Manila that will be given in two tranches, with the first tranche of P60 taking effect last July 25 while the second tranche of P25 increase will take effect on January 20, 2027.
Last July 30, the Pasig City RTC issued a TRO against the wage order following a petition filed by Readycon Trading and Construction Corporation, and R-11 Builders Inc.
A separate petition against the NCR wage order was also filed by the Alliance of Philippine Fishing Federations Inc. at the Navotas City RTC, which set a clarificatory hearing.
In a separate statement, the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) slammed on Wednesday the employers sector for adopting a new "playbook" against pay increase.
In a statement, Sentro said it is condemnable that employers are now using local courts to prevent workers from receiving higher wages after losing their case in the regional wage board.
“Employers are trying to establish a dangerous precedent—that every wage increase can be delayed in court until workers give up or simply learn to live without it,” said Sentro.
"If this tactic succeeds, it will not end with the P85 wage hike. It will become the playbook against every future wage increase: lose before the wage board, run to court, delay implementation, and force workers to wait while their families continue to struggle with soaring prices," it added.
The labor group said they will not allow litigation to become the new weapon of employers against decent worker wages.
“Workers should never have to win the same wage increase twice—first before the wage board, then again in court,” said Sentro. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
