Wage hike seen in six regions

House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan on Sunday urged six regional wage boards to “act with urgency” and issue new minimum wage orders before the end of the year to help private sector workers cope with the persistent rise in the cost of living.

Libanan disclosed that faster action is needed to give workers the “immediate relief they deserve,” noting that “every week of delay means further erosion of workers’ purchasing power.”

Records from the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) show that the six regions yet to issue new wage orders this year are the Cordillera Administrative Region, MIMAROPA, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga.

The most recent increase came from the Western Visayas wage board, which approved a P40 adjustment on 21 October 2025, raising the region’s minimum wage to P550 effective 19 November.

Wage increases take effect 15 days after their publication in regional newspapers. The Labor Code allows regional boards to review and increase minimum wages on their own initiative but they are limited to one wage order every 12 months.

Libanan argued that wage adjustments are vital for reviving household consumption spending, which has been weakened by months of wage erosion caused by sustained price hikes.

He added that boosting household spending is essential for strengthening demand for goods and services, accelerating economic growth, and spurring job creation.