Camille Naredo

Workers unload sacks of rice outside the Manila City Hall on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News


Workers unload sacks of rice outside the Manila City Hall on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The shipment is the third tranche of the city government's free rice distribution for Manila City employees. The "Biyayang Bigas" initiative is among the capital's ongoing relief measures aimed at easing the financial burden on families grappling with rising daily expenses. 

Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

WAGE HIKE

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178576598548020260730-biyayang-bigas-maynila-JC5602.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Workers unload sacks of rice outside the Manila City Hall on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News"/>Workers unload sacks of rice outside the Manila City Hall on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — A coalition of labor groups on Monday urged a Pasig City Regional Trial Court to immediately lift the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/7/30/pasig-court-grants-tro-halting-ncr-wage-hike-2218">temporary restraining order (TRO) halting the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage</a> increase in Metro Manila, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction over the dispute.The groups also asked the court to dismiss the petition for a writ of preliminary injunction filed by two construction firms, saying they availed themselves of the wrong legal remedy and failed to exhaust available administrative remedies.The TRO, issued by the Pasig RTC last Month, stopped the implementation of the P60 first tranche of the wage increase, which was supposed to take effect on July 25.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/3/house-inquiry-into-effects-of-ncr-wage-hike-tro-sought-1903">READ: House inquiry into effects of NCR wage hike TRO sought</a></div>“First time since 1989 na may dalawang employer na ayaw sumunod sa umento, inakyat (ang reklamo) sa korte… Inamin nila, ni wala silang attempt na gamitin ang proseso ng batas para ma-address ang concerns nila. Kasi ang pwede nilang proseso mag-file ng apela sa NWPC, hindi nila ginamit yun,” said Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesperson Carlo Oñate.“Mismong Labor Code na ang nagsasabi na walang pwedeng injunction o TRO na iissue against sa proseso nung ating regional wage board,” he added.Sentro Secretary General Josua Mata said the TRO has left around 1.1 million minimum wage earners bearing the consequences of a legal challenge filed by just two employers.“The problem is, itong 2 kumpanyang yun, in effect, na-hostage na nila ang lahat ng mga minimum wage earners sa NCR (National Capital Region),” said Mata.According to the groups, the delayed implementation is costing Metro Manila&#x27;s minimum wage earners millions of pesos in lost wages every day.“Sa isang araw po, ang epekto nito sa 1.1 million minimum wage earners ng Metro Manila ay nasa P60 million. Kung tatagal ito ng isang linggo, aabot ng P360 million. Kung isang buwan, P1.6 billion ang maaaring mawala sa ating minimum wage earners,” added Oñate.The labor groups also rejected Readycon Trading and Construction Corp.&#x27;s argument that it could not readily absorb the wage increase because many of its ongoing projects are fixed-price contracts.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/8/2/-senseless-speculative-scaremongering-group-slams-tro-vs-p85-wage-hike-1145">READ: Labor groups condemn TRO on P85 wage hike </a></div>They pointed out that Readycon, as a government contractor, has a legal mechanism to recover additional labor costs.“Ayon sa batas, pagka ikaw ay nasa construction industry, yung anumang dagdag sahod ay pwede mong ipasa sa kliyente. Sinong kliyente niya? Gobyerno. Anong kinatatakot niya bakit hindi niya i-pass on?” said Mata.The labor groups also warned that upholding the TRO could encourage more employers to challenge future wage increases in court instead of following the process outlined under the Labor Code.“Napakadelikado po nito kung tuluyang kakatigan ng korte itong petisyon ng dadalawang construction company. Wala na pong pipigil sa kahit sinong employer na nagrereklamo sa kahit anong umento, kahit piso lang, na pumunta sa korte,” stressed Oñate.

A coalition of labor groups on Monday urged a Pasig City Regional Trial Court to immediately lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) halting the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage increase in Metro Manila, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction over the dispute.

A coalition of labor groups on Monday urged a Pasig City Regional Trial Court to immediately lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) halting the implementation of the P85 daily minimum wage increase in Metro Manila, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction over the dispute.

Labor groups seek lifting of TRO on P85 NCR wage hike

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Labor groups seek lifting of TRO on P85 NCR wage hike

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 03, 2026 10:07 PM PHT

Read More:

wage hike

National Capital Region

Pasig RTC Branch 152

temporary restraining order

labor groups

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