The Senate on Wednesday called for the immediate lifting of the temporary restraining order (TRO) that stopped the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage increase in the National Capital Region (NCR), saying the Labor Code prohibits courts from halting wage board proceedings.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said all 21 senators signed a resolution supporting the implementation of Wage Order No. NCR-27 and backing the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), and Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-NCR (RTWPB-NCR).
Zubiri said the Senate’s support reflected a unified position in favor of workers and the country’s wage-setting system.
“Let the Labor Code prevail and allow the PHP85 increase to reach the workers who have already waited long enough. Hindi puwedeng ang isang petisyon ng iilan ang magpapahintay sa mahigit 1.1 milyong manggagawa at kanilang mga pamilya,” Zubiri said.
The Senate resolution cited Article 126 of the Labor Code, as amended by Republic Act 6727, which prevents courts, tribunals, and other entities from issuing injunctions or temporary restraining orders against proceedings conducted by the NWPC or regional wage boards.
Zubiri said allowing the TRO to remain could affect future wage adjustments nationwide by creating a precedent where court actions delay increases approved through established wage-setting mechanisms.
The RTWPB-NCR approved the P85 wage hike after consultations among labor groups, employers, and government representatives.
The increase will be implemented in two tranches: an initial P60 adjustment that took effect on July 25 and a P25 increase scheduled on Jan. 20, 2027.
However, the implementation was suspended after Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 152 issued a TRO on July 30 following a petition filed by Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc. The order will remain effective until Aug. 13 pending further proceedings.
Zubiri said the Senate is urging the court to allow the wage-setting process to proceed, emphasizing that the increase represents workers’ entitlement rather than assistance.
“The Senate will stand with our workers until this wage increase reaches their hands. Hindi ito pabor o limos, kundi pagkilala sa halaga ng kanilang trabaho at sa karapatan ng bawat pamilya sa isang marangal na buhay,” he said.
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino thanked the senators for supporting the lifting of the TRO, saying the move would help uphold wage increases approved through legal processes.
“DOLE commends the leadership of Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for championing the urgent need to uphold statutory wage increases in NCR and all other regions in the future and ensure fair compensation and dignified living conditions for Filipino workers,” Tolentino said.
The DOLE earlier said it is coordinating with the Office of the Solicitor General to challenge the TRO issued by the Pasig RTC.
The agency estimates that more than 1.1 million private sector workers in Metro Manila will benefit from the wage adjustment once implemented.
Photo courtesy of Philippine Star
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