President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is committed to carefully balancing the interests of workers, businesses, and investors in the ongoing debate over wage increases, according to Malacañang.
“At sa lahat po ng kakayanin ng administrasyon at sa pakikipag-usap sa lahat ng stakeholders – mga manggagawa, mga negosyante, mga investors – lahat po ito ay pakikinggan para na rin sa kabutihan ng lahat,” said Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
Castro said the Marcos administration continues to improve labor conditions through job-generating initiatives, including job fairs that created 170,000 jobs from 2022 to May 2025. She also noted that US$27 billion in investments brought into the country from 2022 to 2024 generated an estimated 350,000 jobs.
On Monday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced that the National Capital Region Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board approved a P50 daily wage hike under Wage Order No. 26, equivalent to roughly P1,300 per month.
Castro said this was the amount deemed feasible for businesses, especially amid economic constraints. As for legislative proposals for a nationwide wage hike, she said the Palace would review the potential impact.
“Kasi kung magdudulot naman ito ng lay-off dahil hindi kakayanin ng karamihang maliliit na mga negosyante, mas marami pong mahihirapang mga manggagawa dahil baka mawalan sila ng trabaho. Kaya po, itong lahat ng ito ay pag-aaralan para sa ikabubuti po ng lahat,” she added.IMT
