Philippine Church Group Calls for ₱85 Wage Hike for Struggling Workers

A Philippine ecumenical and interfaith group has called for the immediate lifting of a temporary restraining order (TRO) suspending an ₱85 (US$1.50) minimum wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR), saying the delay withholds much-needed relief from struggling families.

The Church People-Workers Solidarity (CWS), in a statement signed by its chairperson, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, on August 7, said the wage increase should be viewed not merely as an economic adjustment but as a matter of human dignity and social justice.

The ₱85 increase was scheduled to be implemented in two stages, with ₱60 taking effect July 25 and another ₱25 in January 2027. The first increase was suspended after the Regional Trial Court in Pasig City issued a TRO on July 30 following a petition filed by two construction companies.

For CWS, the suspension comes as workers face rising costs of food, transportation, housing, health care and education.

“This is not simply a legal delay,” Bishop Alminaza said. “Postponing the wage adjustment delays relief for families struggling with the rising costs” of basic necessities.

He also stressed that even the full ₱85 increase would remain well below what workers need for a decent standard of living.

“Even with the full adjustment, the NCR minimum wage remains significantly below the estimated family living wage,” he said, describing the increase as only a modest step toward restoring the dignity of labor.

The group also raised concerns about the legal implications of the TRO, citing provisions of the Philippine Labor Code that it said protect the wage-setting process from judicial interference.

Beyond the legal dispute, however, Bishop Alminaza framed the issue as a moral concern.

“When delayed wages mean delayed meals, unpaid medicines, or children’s unmet educational needs, justice becomes not merely a legal question but a profoundly moral one,” he said.

CWS urged the immediate lifting of the TRO and called for continued dialogue among the government, employers and workers to protect employment while promoting workers’ welfare.

The group also called for reforms toward a genuine family living wage, including serious consideration of a legislated national wage policy that would help narrow the gap between minimum wages and the actual cost of living.

For the Church-workers’ group, the issue is ultimately about recognizing the dignity and contribution of workers.

“Your labor is not merely an economic contribution; it is a participation in God’s continuing work of creation,” Bishop Alminaza said.

CWS concluded its appeal by urging stakeholders to uphold the dignity of labor and work toward a family living wage for workers in the Philippines.