Second wage order takes effect for 1.1 million Metro Manila workers

The second wage order affecting an estimated 1.1 million workers in Metro Manila has now taken effect, providing another adjustment to minimum wages in the capital region. The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region issued the wage order on September 7, with implementation beginning the following Saturday.

The move comes amid ongoing legal challenges to an earlier wage order, which remains pending before the courts despite legal restrictions on injunctions preventing wage increases. The concurrent implementation of two separate wage orders reflects the complex wage-setting landscape in Metro Manila, where multiple government bodies and private sector representatives participate in wage-setting decisions.

The wage orders are issued through the tripartite board process, which brings together representatives from government, employers, and workers to establish minimum wage levels. The latest order is expected to benefit service workers, manufacturing employees, and other wage earners across the National Capital Region's various industries.

With approximately 1.1 million workers covered under the second wage order, the adjustment represents a significant intervention in the region's labor market at a time when inflation and cost of living concerns remain high among Filipino workers.