More than 86,000 minimum wage earners in Soccsksargen (Region 12) will receive a Php 41 increase in their daily pay following the approval of a new wage order, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced Friday.
DOLE-12 Regional Director and Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-12 Chairperson Imelda Gatinao said the adjustment under Wage Order No. XII-26 will benefit approximately 86,815 workers across the region.
The increase will be implemented in two tranches, beginning with an additional Php 16 per day on November 22, or 15 days after the wage order’s publication on November 6.
The remaining Php 25 increase will take effect on January 1, 2027.
Once fully implemented, the daily minimum wage for workers in the non-agriculture, retail and service sectors will rise from Php 460 to Php 501.
Agricultural workers, meanwhile, will see their daily minimum wage increase from Php 443 to Php 484.
Domestic workers, or kasambahays, will also benefit from a separate Php 450 monthly wage adjustment, bringing their minimum monthly salary to Php 6,450.
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino earlier announced that the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) had approved the wage adjustments to help improve workers’ earnings amid rising living expenses.
According to DOLE, the new rates were determined following consultations and public hearings conducted by the regional wage board involving representatives from labor groups, employers and other stakeholders.
The consultations sought to balance workers’ need for higher wages with the financial capacity of businesses to sustain operations.
Tolentino emphasized the importance of a responsive wage-setting mechanism that strengthens workers’ purchasing power while considering the operating conditions of employers, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises.
The labor department reminded employers across Soccsksargen to comply with the new minimum wage rates upon their respective effectivity dates.
Workers were likewise encouraged to familiarize themselves with their rights and benefits under existing labor laws to ensure they receive the appropriate compensation.
