PASAY CITY, Philippines — The implementation of an additional ₱25 daily wage hike for private sector workers in Metro Manila rests in the hands of the judiciary, Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino declared on Wednesday, September 30.
Speaking during the Senate Committee on Finance subcommittee hearing regarding the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) proposed 2027 budget, Tolentino addressed queries from Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Joel Villanueva regarding the legal status of Wage Order No. NCR-27.
“Yung fate, yung kahinatnan ay binibigay na po natin sa husgado,” Tolentino stated.
Approved in July, Wage Order No. 27 granted an ₱85 daily minimum wage increase for National Capital Region (NCR) workers, structured to take effect in two separate phases: an initial ₱60 raise upon effectivity, followed by a second tranche of ₱25 scheduled for January 20, 2027.
The wage order faced immediate legal hurdles after a Pasig City court issued an order halting its implementation following a challenge mounted by two construction companies, triggering public backlash over the administration’s handling of the legal dispute.
In response to the suspension, authorities issued Wage Order No. 28, which officially took effect on September 26 and adjusted the daily minimum wage for non-agricultural workers in the capital region from ₱695 to ₱755.
Tolentino clarified during the hearing that the issuance of the latest wage order does not nullify the previous measure.
“For the record, Wage Order 28 is a separate and independent wage relief,” he noted.
“Wage Order 27 remains defended in pending judicial proceedings. Wage Order 28 does not fully adjudicate whatever rights or legal consequences may arise under 27,” he said.
When pressed by Villanueva on whether workers could legally claim the pending ₱25 second tranche from Wage Order No. 27 alongside the ₱60 hike granted under Wage Order No. 28 should the judiciary rule in favor of the government, Tolentino affirmed that DOLE will strictly comply with any final judicial ruling.