Camille Naredo

Workers cross the Guadalupe Bridge on foot from Makati to Mandaluyong City to reach the nearest busway station along EDSA on April 6, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

EDSA

Lyza Aquino

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17850712867531784622486073EMPLOYMENT.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Workers cross the Guadalupe Bridge on foot from Makati to Mandaluyong City to reach the nearest busway station along EDSA on April 6, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News"/>Workers cross the Guadalupe Bridge on foot from Makati to Mandaluyong City to reach the nearest busway station along EDSA on April 6, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- Some minimum wage earners in Metro Manila welcomed the ₱85 daily pay increase after the first tranche of ₱60 took effect on Saturday, July 25, while the remaining ₱25 will be implemented in January next year. Business groups and employers, however, expressed mixed reactions to the wage hike, with some warning that rising operating costs and fuel prices could put additional pressure on businesses.Twenty-two-year-old working student Lea Mangubat, a minimum wage earner, said the increase would be a big help to her family and assist in covering her daily expenses. “For me po malaking tulong sa akin at sa parents ko para makabawas din sa expenses nila, siyam po kaming magkakapatid ang bunso po ako, and ako palang po yung makakagraduate if ever. For me, as a working student, it’s very important yung salary increase kasi nakakatulong po siya sa expenses ko everyday like food, transportation,” Mangubat said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/7/21/no-suspension-of-wage-hike-malaca-ang-confirms-1823">No suspension of wage hike, Malacañang confirms</a></div>Barista Christian Castillo also welcomed the wage increase, saying he hopes to save more and better support his family, including his five siblings. “Ang tulong sa bahay namin yung mga bills namin, yung ibang pagkain namin minsan… tapos kasama ko pa po ang Lola ko at parehong magulang ko. Maganda-ganda kasi kahit papaano, yung sa iniipon ko po madadagdagan po,” said Castillo.The wage hike brings the minimum daily wage for workers in the non-agriculture sector to ₱755. Workers in the agriculture sector, service, and retail establishments with 15 or fewer employees, and manufacturing firms employing fewer than 10 workers will now receive a minimum daily wage of ₱718.Castillo, however, expressed concern that the value of the wage increase could be offset if the prices of basic goods continue to rise. “Sapat naman po yung sixty hanggang sa January. Sana yung mga bilihin hindi rin sumabay sa pagtaas kahit papaano para ganun pa rin yung cost of living, at least nadagdagan yung sa savings namin,” he said.Coffee shop owner Mark Vasquez said he supports the wage increase, noting that he was once a service crew worker himself. At the same time, he said businesses must also assess whether they can absorb the additional labor costs.“Masaya ako sa naging implementation [wage hike] dahil dati din akong service crew, alam ko yung pakiramdam na kapag tumataas. Ang pinakachallenge lang sa amin ay kung kakayanin nga ba nung mismong branches yung ating pasweldo sa NCR. Sinusubukan namin na i-check ulit yung ating mga costing, yung ating mga operations para at least malaman namin kung kaya ba,” Vasquez said.Vasquez said another challenge for businesses is the expected increase in fuel prices this Tuesday, July 28. Diesel prices are expected to rise by ₱7 to ₱8 per liter, gasoline by ₱6 to ₱7 per liter, and kerosene by ₱5 to ₱6 per liter.<div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/6/30/labor-chief-announces-historic-p85-day-wage-hike-in-metro-manila-1127">Labor chief announces &#x27;historic&#x27; P85/day wage hike in Metro Manila </a> </div>“Lahat nagmamahal, hindi naman nababawasan ang mga bilihin lalo na sa mga raw materials namin. Pero ang tanong eh hanggang kailan ba kakayanin ng mga business owners na hindi magtaas ng presyo, kasi kapag nagtaas yan, ganun din. Nagtaas nga ang sweldo, nagtaas din naman ang mga bilihin, so parang mababale-wala din ang pagtaas ng ating sweldo,” said Vasquez. He said his business would initially monitor the impact of the wage hike for a month.“Ang initial na usapan namin ay isang buwan, kapag hindi iche-check namin kung kaya ba namin magbaba, or liitan namin yung serving, ganun na po yung naiisip namin,&quot; Vasquez said. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines supports the ₱85 daily wage increase in Metro Manila, even though the figure is higher than the ₱50 wage hike the group had recommended.ECOP President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said the wage hike could have a significant impact on micro and small businesses, particularly amid volatile global fuel prices.“Pagka hindi naman kaya ng merkado, mataas masyado, ibabawas ang tao. Kung wala, nagsasara. Maraming nagsasara ngayon, at maraming naghihintay kung anong mangyayari. Yung tariff ni Trump na hindi pa natin alam kung anong mangyayari… it will affect inflation lalo na’t bumabalik naman ang cost of fuel,” he said. Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Emeritus George Barcelon also warned of the possible impact of higher fuel prices.“Diesel is the backbone sa mga trucking, sa mga commuters, so we’re afraid there might be some adjustment on that. Definitely, the economy will slow down. Itong mga consumer natin, sa dagdag ng cost nila, pagkain, transportation, they will have less money to spend,” said Barcelon.<div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/7/14/with-minimum-wage-going-up-by-p85-a-day-here-s-how-to-make-sure-you-actually-feel-richer-1320">With minimum wage going up by P85 a day, here&#x27;s how to make sure you actually feel richer </a> </div>Business groups are also calling on the government to address economic concerns in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s upcoming State of the Nation Address on Monday.Ortiz-Luis said the government should focus more on economic issues and less on political matters.“Despite all the efforts na mag-imbita tayo ng investors, eh kulelat tayo sa investment, kulelat tayo sa turista. Sana sa SONA mag-focus tayo sa economic problems, mag-focus tayo sa konting pulitika,” said Ortiz-Luis. The Department of Labor and Employment, meanwhile, said it has set aside funding under its Adjustment Measures Program to assist qualified micro, small, and medium enterprises that may be unable to implement the wage increase.<div> </div>

Some minimum wage earners in Metro Manila welcomed the ₱85 daily pay increase after the first tranche of ₱60 took effect on Saturday, July 25, while the remaining ₱25 will be implemented in January next year.

Some minimum wage earners in Metro Manila welcomed the ₱85 daily pay increase after the first tranche of ₱60 took effect on Saturday, July 25, while the remaining ₱25 will be implemented in January next year.

P85 Metro Manila wage hike welcomed by workers; employers raise concern

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P85 Metro Manila wage hike welcomed by workers; employers raise concern

Lyza Aquino,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 26, 2026 09:14 PM PHT

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Wage hike

Minimum wage earners

Metro Manila

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