Three regions approve wage hikes starting early January

THREE regional wage boards approved hikes in minimum pay to take effect early 2026, the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) said.

In the Caraga region, the daily minimum wage for non-agricultural workers will increase to P455 starting Jan. 3 and will further rise to P475 on May 1, up from the current rate of P435, according to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) XIII. The approval was announced in a NWPC social media post on Thursday.

For domestic workers, monthly minimum wages will also come in for adjustment. In chartered cities and first-class municipalities, pay will increase by P500 to P6,500, with other municipalities to see commensurate increases.

Workers in the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) are set to receive a P25 increase in daily minimum wage under Wage Order No. RIX-24, according to the NWPC.

Non-agricultural establishments with 10 or more employees, including retail and service businesses, will see wages rise from P414 to P439 in January, with a second tranche bringing the rate to P464 in June 2026.

Agricultural establishments and businesses employing nine or fewer workers will have their daily minimum wages increased from P401 to P426 in January, and to P451 in June.

Meanwhile, employees in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan or Mimaropa (Region IV-B), including domestic workers, will benefit from new wage adjustments effective Jan. 1.

For establishments with 10 or more workers, daily wages will rise from P430 to P455, while establishments with less than 10 employees will see wages increase from P404 to P455.

With these minimum wage updates, Northern Mindanao (Region X) remains the sole region yet to implement wage adjustments for this year’s cycle. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking