(Tacloban City Information Office)
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To take effect on June 1
TACLOBAN CITY — The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-VIII has fully implemented the second tranche of the minimum wage increase in Eastern Visayas effective Monday, June 1, 2026, covering all minimum wage earners in the private sector.
The adjustment is part of Wage Order No. RBVIII-25, which was approved on November 10, 2025, and implemented in two stages to allow employers to gradually adjust to the mandated increase.
The first tranche took effect on December 8, 2025, while the second tranche completed the wage hike on June 1, 2026.
Under the wage order, workers receive a total increase of P35 per day, broken into P17 for the first tranche and P18 for the second tranche.
With the full implementation, the daily minimum wage in the region is now set at P470 for non-agriculture workers and employees of service and retail establishments with more than 10 workers.
Meanwhile, workers in service and retail establishments with 1 to 10 employees, cottage and handicraft industries, and the agriculture sector will now receive P440 per day.
RTWPB VIII said the adjustment aims to cushion workers from rising living costs while maintaining balance with business productivity and economic conditions in the region.
The wage board based the approval of the wage increase on several economic indicators, including a 0.68 percent regional inflation rate from December 2024 to September 2025, a poverty threshold of P444 for a family of five, and a 6.2 percent regional economic growth rate.
Prior to the adjustment, minimum wage earners in Eastern Visayas were receiving P405 per day, making this the first wage order implementation since 2023.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority–Region VIII (PSA-8) showed that the region’s labor force participation rate dropped to 60.5 percent in 2025 from 63.6 percent in 2024, below the national average of 64.1 percent and ranking second lowest among all regions.
In actual number, the region’s labor force in 2025 was at 2.06 million, a decline from about 2.13 million in 2024.
The labor force refers to individuals aged 15 years and above who are either employed or actively seeking employment.
RTWPB VIII reminded employers to comply with the new wage rates and urged workers to stay informed of their updated pay standards under the wage order.
The agency reiterated its commitment to promoting decent work, productivity, and inclusive growth across Eastern Visayas.
JOEY A. GABIETA
