AMID the continuous calls by labor groups for the passage of the legislated wage hike, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday disclosed that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) – National Capital Region (NCR) has started reviewing the existing minimum wage rate in Metro Manila.
In a social media post, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said he has been informed that the NCR wage board has started its scheduled wage review process.
“The RTWPB-NCR has started with their consultation, so let us allow the process to continue,” said Laguesma.
“Let us not preempt whatever it is they will be discussing,” he added.
In a separate post, the RTWPB-NCR bared that discussions on a potential wage increase in Metro Manila officially began last week.
The NCR wage board said they have conducted initial consultation with various labor groups.
“The meeting marks the start of a series of dialogues to review current economic conditions and assess the need to adjust the minimum wage to better support workers amid rising living costs,” said RTWPB-NCR chairperson Sarah Buena Mirasol.
“The wage rates shall be adjusted in a fair, reasonable, and equitable manner,” she added.
Mirasol said a similar consultation with employers’ organizations will be conducted on May 28.
The RTWPB-NCR said the series of wage hike discussions is set to conclude with a public hearing for all concerned stakeholders on June 17.
On June 27, 2024, the NCR wage board issued a wage order for minimum wage earners and this took effect on July 17, 2024.
The wage order raised the minimum wage rate in Metro Manila from P610 to P645 for the non-agriculture sector, and from P573 to P608 for the agriculture sector.
