P50 wage increase approved for workers in Metro Manila

The regional wage board has approved a P50 wage hike for private sector workers in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Department of Labor and Employment said on Monday.

Labor groups criticized the increase, calling it insufficient to address the rising cost of living in the country.

The wage hike will raise the daily minimum wage in NCR to P695 for the nonagriculture sector and to P658 for the agriculture sector, service, and retail establishments.

The increase will be effective on July 18, following the previous wage hike on July 17, 2024.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma stated that this P50 increase is the highest approved by the NCR Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) since 2022.

Workers in Metro Manila have received a total of P125 in wage hikes over the past three years.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission estimated that around 1.2 million daily wage earners in Metro Manila will benefit directly from this increase.

However, some labor groups criticized the increase as insufficient and called for a higher national pay hike.

Protests against the wage hike were held in different parts of the country, with more planned during the upcoming State of the Nation Address on July 28.

According to the source: Inquirer.net.