Labor groups pressed the House of Representatives to expedite the passage of the national minimum wage bill, describing it as “justice long overdue.”

Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando, Cavite Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla, Albay Rep. Adrian Salceda, and major labor unions sought the endorsement of House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III for the legislation on February 24.

“We strongly urge the passage of the National Minimum Wage Bill, which seeks to establish a fair and humane wage standard nationwide based on the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work,’ correct unjust regional wage disparities, and strengthen local economies,” their manifesto to Dy read.

Revilla argued that the current regional wage system is outdated and unfair, noting that prices of goods are no longer regional and the pay system should reflect that.

“With the committee’s adoption of the National Minimum Wage bill, we are much closer to giving every Filipino worker a fair, just, and modern wage system that recognizes their dignity — no matter where they are in the country,” he stated.

Among the signing groups are the National Federation of Labor Unions (NAFLU), Workers and Peasants Party of the Philippines (WPP), Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (CoTeSCUP), and United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP).

In response to their call, Dy directed the House Committee on Labor and Employment to fast-track deliberations on the proposal on February 26.

The adopted measure consolidates House Bills (HB) Nos. 55, 94, 3266, 4102, and 5924 into a single bill that seeks to abolish the current multi-tiered regional wage structure with a unified National Minimum Wage (NMW) system.

Should the bill be enacted into law, the initial National Minimum Wage (NMW) shall be set at the level of the highest regional minimum wage and shall in no case be lower than it. Currently, the National Capital Region (NCR) holds this distinction, with rates ranging from P658 to P695 per day.

The measure also seeks a “reorganized and strengthened” National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), which would replace the country’s wage-determining body currently exercised by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs).

Dy committed to secure the bill’s passage by Labor Day, May 1, 2026.

At present, Pampanga has set its daily minimum wage at P540 for the agriculture sector, P560 for the retail and service sector, and P570 for the non-agriculture sector.