More than 1.56 million minimum wage earners across the Calabarzon region will receive a daily pay increase of up to P45 starting October 26. The wage adjustment, approved under Wage Order No. IVA-23 by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board 4A, translates to an additional P1,170 in monthly earnings for workers in the industrial corridor south of Metro Manila.
Tiered Adjustments and Domestic Worker Raises
The exact increase varies by industry sector and the classification of the municipality where employees work. The regional board did not include the detailed breakdown in its initial public announcement, noting that specific rates per sector and locality are listed in the official copy of the order. Daily minimum wages in Calabarzon currently range from P508 to P600 depending on those classifications.
Alongside the industrial and commercial adjustments, the wage board approved a P750 monthly wage increase for domestic workers, raising their minimum monthly pay to P7,500 from P6,750. This adjustment will benefit approximately 201,000 domestic workers across Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon, including family drivers, gardeners, cooks, and laundry workers.
Socioeconomic Review Amid Accelerating Inflation
The decision follows a review of regional socioeconomic conditions conducted under Republic Act No. 6727, also known as the Wage Rationalization Act. The National Wages and Productivity Commission and the regional board formulated the rates through a tripartite mechanism involving representatives from labor groups, employers, and the government.
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino led the meeting that set the new rates and stated that the Department of Labor and Employment and its regional office would closely monitor establishments to ensure compliance. The wage order arrives against a backdrop of rising price pressures. Philippine Statistics Authority data shows inflation climbing to 7.2 percent in September from 6.1 percent in August, marking the fastest pace since March 2023. Rice inflation reached 20.3 percent, while inflation among the poorest 30 percent of households hit 9 percent.
Regional Wage Trends Across the Country
The Calabarzon adjustment follows similar actions in other economic hubs. In Metro Manila, Wage Order No. 28 took effect on September 26, granting workers a P60 daily wage increase while an earlier Wage Order No. 27, which provided for an P85 increase in two tranches, remains under litigation. Meanwhile, a separate wage order covering Central Visayas and parts of the Negros Island Region is scheduled to take effect on October 14, providing a P42 increase to daily minimum wages in that area.
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