28/08/2026
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐂𝐑 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expresses concern over the continued suspension of the minimum wage increase under NCR Wage Order No. 27, issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board–National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR). While respecting the independence of the judiciary and the right of all parties to pursue legal remedies, the Commission stresses that prolonged delays in wage adjustments have real consequences for workers’ economic security and their ability to live with dignity.
The wage order provides for an ₱85 increase in the daily minimum wage of covered workers in Metro Manila, to be implemented in two tranches. Its implementation, however, was suspended through judicial orders, initially through a temporary restraining order and later through a writ of preliminary injunction, while the underlying legal issues remain pending.
Proceedings involving workers’ wages carry real and immediate consequences for workers and their families. For millions of Filipino workers, wages determine whether families can afford food, transportation, housing, education, health care, and other basic necessities. As the cost of living continues to place significant pressure on low-income households and daily wage earners, delays in measures intended to augment workers’ incomes may further deepen their economic insecurity.
The right to work includes the right to just and favourable conditions of work, including fair remuneration that enables workers and their families to live with dignity. A minimum wage must therefore be understood not only in terms of economic policy, but also in relation to the State’s broader obligation to advance social justice and protect workers’ economic and social rights.
At the same time, the Commission recognizes the legitimate concerns of employers, including business sustainability and the preservation of employment. These concerns must be addressed through meaningful social dialogue and the mechanisms provided by law, with due regard to the welfare and dignity of workers who bear the immediate impact of rising prices and inadequate incomes.
CHR therefore calls for the expeditious resolution of the pending legal issues surrounding NCR Wage Order No. 27. Prolonged uncertainty should not leave workers and their families in a state of economic insecurity, particularly when the wage adjustment resulted from the country’s established tripartite wage-setting process.
The Commission urges all concerned institutions and stakeholders to ensure that the resolution of this matter remains guided by social justice, meaningful participation, and respect for the rights and dignity of workers. Whatever legal remedies are pursued, the human impact of delayed wage adjustments must remain central to the process.
CHR remains steadfast in safeguarding the rights of Filipino workers and advancing conditions that enable every person to work, provide for their families, and live in dignity.
