NCR minimum wage increased by ₱50 starting July 18 - DOLE

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday announced a ₱50 daily minimum wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR), marking the largest salary hike granted by the NCR Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB).

Labor Secretary Benny Laguesma said the new wage rates, approved through Wage Order No. 26, will raise the daily minimum wage to ₱695 for the non-agriculture sector and to ₱658 for agriculture, retail and service establishments with 15 or fewer workers, and manufacturing firms employing fewer than 10 workers.

The increase is set to take effect on July 18, 2025, exactly one day after the anniversary of the previous wage hike in Metro Manila.

According to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), the increase is equivalent to an additional ₱1,100 per month for workers on a five-day workweek and ₱1,300 per month for those working six days a week. This will bring the average monthly take-home pay to around ₱15,247 to ₱18,216, inclusive of statutory benefits such as the 13th-month pay, service incentive leave, and contributions to SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG.

The wage board considered several economic indicators in its decision, including the 5.4% GDP growth in Q1 2025, 1.7% inflation in NCR as of May, and the 5.1% unemployment rate recorded in April, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Since 2023, minimum wages in NCR have increased by a total of ₱125.The NWPC also noted that around 1.7 million above-minimum wage earners may benefit indirectly from enterprise-level adjustments to prevent wage distortions.

Employers affected by natural or man-made disasters, and small businesses with 10 or fewer workers, may apply for exemption from the wage hike. Registered Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) remain exempt from minimum wage laws.

DOLE said NCR is the first region to issue a new wage order for 2025. Other regions, including I, II, III, IV-A, and VII, are expected to hold public consultations from July to August.