Lawmaker: Almost half of House backs bill on national minimum wage

ALMOST half of Philippine congressmen have expressed support for a bill that would replace the region-based wage system with a centralized national minimum wage, a lawmaker said late on Monday.

Party-list Rep. Elijah R. San Fernando said 123 lawmakers have backed the proposal, signaling momentum for the measure despite potential opposition from employers.

“This is a strong signal that Congress is listening,” he said in a statement in mixed English and Filipino. “There is strong support for this proposal.”

Minimum wages are set by regional wage boards. Critics have long cited slow and insufficient increases amid rising prices, arguing that Filipinos face largely similar living costs nationwide.

House Bill No. 8081 will set the initial national minimum wage at the highest existing regional rate. In the National Capital Region, the daily minimum wage is P695 for nonagriculture workers and P658 for workers in plantations or small establishments with 15 or fewer employees.

The bill also includes a three-year transition period to align regional wages with the national standard. Thirty percent of the wage gap will be addressed in the first year, 35% in the second and the remainder in the third.

After the transition, all regions will have a minimum wage equal to the initial national rate. Workers could still negotiate wages above the minimum, and a national commission will review rates annually.

Mr. San Fernando said the measure could be taken up on the House floor as early as next week.

He said only 159 votes are needed for approval, and with more than 120 lawmakers already supporting it, its passage is within reach. “The support is here. Now we must deliver.”

Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III has expressed support for the proposal, meeting with leaders of workers’ unions to reaffirm backing, Mr. San Fernando said last week.

“Once we reach this level of support, it is clear this is no longer a minority position,” he added. “This is becoming the position of the House, across party lines and political divides.”

While the bill has gained significant traction, industry groups may push back against the centralization of wage-setting, warning that uniform rates could strain businesses in lower-cost regions.

The measure represents a major shift in labor policy, with potential implications for employment, inflation and regional competitiveness.

If passed, the bill would mark the first nationwide minimum wage system in the Philippines, consolidating authority from regional boards into a single, standardized framework. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio