Pasig Court Temporarily Halts P85 Minimum Wage Increase in Metro Manila

The Pasig Regional Trial Court has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage increase in Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region (NCR). This development was confirmed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on July 30, 2026.

In an eight-page order dated July 30, Presiding Judge Marie Joyce Manongsong granted the petition filed by Readycon Trading and Construction Corporation and R-II Builders, Inc. to halt the enforcement of NCR Wage Order No. 27. The court enjoined the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-NCR and the National Wages and Productivity Commission from implementing the wage hike until August 13, pending resolution of the petition for declaratory relief.

The court emphasized that a TRO is only issued in cases of extreme urgency where grave injustice and irreparable injury are likely to occur without immediate intervention. It found that the petitioners sufficiently established these elements. The ruling also highlighted the interdependent nature of the parties involved, rather than viewing them as having strictly opposing interests.

Judge Manongsong noted that the unique circumstances of this case justified temporarily stalling the wage order’s implementation. The TRO was granted on the condition that the petitioners post a bond of P1 million. A hearing on the petitioners’ request for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for August 3, 2026, at 9 a.m. Both parties are required to submit evidence supporting or opposing the injunction before the hearing.

The court had earlier conducted a hearing on July 28, following a status quo ante order issued by Executive Judge Achilles Balauitan on July 24, one day before the wage order was set to take effect. The wage increase was initially scheduled to raise the daily minimum wage by P85 in two tranches, with the first P60 increase effective July 25.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino expressed regret over the court’s decision but affirmed that the department would respect and abide by the ruling. DOLE stated it would defer to the court regarding the legal basis for the TRO.

The Federation of Free Workers (FFW) president, Atty. Sonny Matula, criticized the TRO, citing the Labor Code’s explicit prohibition against courts issuing injunctions or restraining orders against proceedings before the National Wages and Productivity Commission or regional wage boards. Matula, who also chairs the NAGKAISA labor coalition, said the Pasig court’s action contravened this statutory provision.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) condemned the petition that led to the TRO, asserting that it aimed to deprive Metro Manila workers of a long-overdue wage increase. TUCP highlighted that the P85 daily increase, starting with the P60 tranche effective July 25, was already insufficient given the rising costs of food, transportation, electricity, housing, and other basic necessities.

This temporary halt affects over one million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila who were set to benefit from the wage adjustment. The court’s decision introduces uncertainty as stakeholders await the August 3 hearing, which will determine whether the wage increase will proceed or face further legal obstacles.