Philippine Government Challenges Court Order Freezing Metro Manila Wage Hike

The Department of Labor and Employment is challenging a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 152 that froze Wage Order NCR-27. The contested order mandated a P85 daily minimum wage increase for private-sector workers in Metro Manila, split into a P60 tranche effective July 25, 2026, and a P25 tranche scheduled for January 20, 2027.

The TRO was granted on July 30 following a petition by Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc., who argued the hike would cause budget deficits and negatively impact business operations. While the injunction remains in effect until August 13, a hearing on the request is scheduled for August 3.

Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino stated the government will coordinate with the Office of the Solicitor General to overturn the freeze and defend the validity of the wage order. He clarified that workers who already received the initial P60 increase possess a vested right to those funds and are not required to refund them.

The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition condemned the court's action, arguing that the Labor Code requires wage-fixing appeals to be filed with the National Wages and Productivity Commission rather than through a trial court. Meanwhile, RTWPB-NCR Chairperson Sarah Buena S. Mirasol maintained that the board followed due process and established guidelines when fixing the minimum wage.