Labor group urges DOLE to fight for P85 NCR wage hike

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has been asked to fight for Wage Order 27 (WO 27) that was issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board–National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) that ordered a P85 daily wage increase in Metro Manila.

Federation of Free Workers (FFW) president and NAGKAKAISA Labor Coalition chairperson Sonny Matula made the call after learning that, during the budget hearing at the House of Representatives on September 8, the DOLE revealed WO 28 was recently approved to implement a P60 wage increase in NCR as a solution to the impasse before the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) which ordered the stop in the implementation of WO 27.

“Nagkaisa's legal fight for Wage Order 27 (WO 27) — the P85 NCR minimum wage increase — stands. It is not overtaken by the approval of Wage Order 28,” declared the lawyer.

The wage increase under WO 27 comes in two tranches including a P60 increase that was supposed to take effect on July 25 and a P25 increase that is scheduled for 20 January 2027.

Last July 30, Pasig RTC Branch 152 granted the separate petitions Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders, Inc. for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the implementation of WO 27.

The RTC later asked the petitioners for a P10 billion bond for the issuance of a preliminary injunction that will continue to stop the implementation of the WO 27.

There are pending certiorari petitions before the Supreme Court (SC) that sought to have the RTC junk the cases including from the FFW.

DOLE Secretary Francis Tolentino last August also filed a motion asking the RTC to lift the injunction.

“The Pasig RTC had no jurisdiction over WO 27. Article 126 of the Labor Code bars courts from enjoining wage board proceedings. Article 123 provides the exclusive remedy: appeal to the NWPC, not to a Regional Trial Court. This twin defect is not a technicality — it goes to the court's very authority to act,” said Matula.

On the other hand, Matula appreciate the efforts of the DOLE in finding a solution in the impasse.

“WO 28 does not moot our case. We will pursue our certiorari petition to its conclusion because workers should not pay — through delay, litigation, and now a substitute order — for employers' refusal to accept a wage board decision they simply dislike,” said Matula.