Overview of Regional Minimum Wage Rates in the Philippines
The minimum wage in the Philippines varies by region to reflect different economic conditions and living costs. Unlike many countries, the Philippines does not have a national minimum wage. Instead, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) regularly review and adjust minimum wage rates for their respective regions.
This system ensures that minimum wage considers the economic realities of each region, providing a more equitable approach to wage setting.
Here is a summary of the latest minimum wage rates in the Philippines as of 2026 after the wage increase:
Minimum wage rates by region (2026)
| Region | Daily minimum wage | Effective since | Scheduled increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCR (Metro Manila) | PHP 695 | July 18, 2025 | PHP 755 on July 25, 2026; PHP 780 on January 20, 2027 |
| Central Luzon (Region III) | PHP 600 | April 16, 2026 | |
| CALABARZON (Region IV-A) | PHP 600 | October 5, 2025 | |
| Western Visayas (Region VI) | PHP 550 | November 19, 2025 | |
| Central Visayas (Region VII) | PHP 540 | October 4, 2025 | |
| Davao Region (Region XI) | PHP 525 | March 13, 2026 | PHP 540 on September 1, 2026 |
| Cordillera (CAR) | PHP 505 | December 30, 2025 | |
| Ilocos Region (Region I) | PHP 505 | November 19, 2025 | |
| Cagayan Valley (Region II) | PHP 500 | November 5, 2025 | |
| Northern Mindanao (Region X) | PHP 500 | May 1, 2026 | |
| Caraga (Region XIII) | PHP 475 | May 1, 2026 | |
| Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) | PHP 470 | June 1, 2026 | |
| Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) | PHP 464 | June 1, 2026 | |
| SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) | PHP 460 | December 15, 2025 | |
| MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) | PHP 455 | January 1, 2026 | |
| Bicol Region (Region V) | PHP 455 | April 8, 2026 | PHP 480 on December 1, 2026 |
| BARMM | PHP 411 | July 17, 2025 |
The rates shown are each region's non-agriculture rate, or the single rate where the board publishes one. Agriculture, small retail and service establishments, and some provinces within a region carry different figures under the same wage order, so check the specific order for your location.
Metro Manila minimum wage: Wage Order NCR-27
The NCR wage board signed Wage Order No. NCR-27 on June 30, 2026, granting a total increase of PHP 85 per day, the largest single adjustment in the region's history. It benefits around 1.1 million minimum wage earners and comes in two tranches: PHP 60 on July 25, 2026, and PHP 25 on January 20, 2027.
| Sector | Until July 24, 2026 | From July 25, 2026 | From January 20, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-agriculture | PHP 695 | PHP 755 | PHP 780 |
| Agriculture; retail and service establishments with 15 or fewer workers; manufacturing with fewer than 10 workers | PHP 658 | PHP 718 | PHP 743 |
Early reports, including DOLE's own announcements, gave July 19 as the start date. The signed order was only published on July 9, though, and it takes effect 15 days after publication, so the first tranche starts on July 25, 2026. DOLE has confirmed the corrected date. If you already set up payroll for July 19, keep the current rates through July 24 and switch on the 25th.
The increase affects more than the daily rate. Overtime, premium pay, holiday pay, and 13th month computations all rise with it, and the order requires employers to correct wage distortions where the new minimum narrows the gap with employees paid just above it.
More increases scheduled in 2026
Metro Manila is not the only region with changes still to come. Davao's rate rises to PHP 540 on September 1, 2026, Bicol's to PHP 480 on December 1, 2026, and the NCR's second tranche follows on January 20, 2027. Several regions also updated their domestic worker (kasambahay) wage orders alongside the general rates, with monthly minimums now typically between PHP 6,500 and PHP 7,800 depending on the region.
If you employ staff in more than one region, each location follows its own wage order and schedule, so a single national payroll setting is never safe to assume.
The proposed nationwide legislated wage hike
Alongside the regional system, Congress has been debating a nationwide, across-the-board increase, which would be the first legislated national wage hike since the Wage Rationalization Act of 1989.
The last attempt came close: the House approved a PHP 200 daily increase in June 2025, but the Senate's earlier version proposed PHP 100, and the 19th Congress adjourned before the two chambers could reconcile the amounts. The measure lapsed with that Congress, and wage hike bills have since been refiled in the current one.
For employers, the regional wage orders remain the binding rules. Any legislated hike would come on top of them if it passes.
Hiring in the Philippines: What Foreign Employers Should Know
The minimum wage is the legal floor, and for skilled professionals, market salaries in the Philippines are well above it. Even so, international companies hiring in the Philippines typically reduce hiring costs by 30 to 60% compared to the US, Australia, or the UK, while the wage orders, benefits, and 13th month rules stay the employer's responsibility to get right.
An Employer of Record handles that side for you. RecruitGo legally employs your Philippine team members on your behalf: compliant contracts, payroll that reflects every wage order on time, statutory benefits (SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG), and the 13th month computation, while you manage the work itself. When a wage order like NCR-27 takes effect mid-year, we apply the change in payroll, and you do not have to track DOLE publications yourself.
Learn more about our EOR service in the Philippines, or talk to our team about the roles you are hiring.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the minimum wage in Metro Manila right now?
PHP 695 per day for non-agricultural workers until July 24, 2026. From July 25, 2026, it rises to PHP 755 under Wage Order NCR-27, and to PHP 780 from January 20, 2027. Agriculture and small retail, service, and manufacturing establishments follow the lower schedule: PHP 658 now, PHP 718 from July 25, and PHP 743 from January 2027.
2. Why does the minimum wage differ by region in the Philippines?
Wage setting is decentralized to Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, which adjust rates to local living costs and economic conditions. That is why Metro Manila's rate is the country's highest while provincial rates run lower.
3. Do minimum wage increases affect other pay components?
Yes. Overtime, night shift differential, premium and holiday pay, and 13th month pay are all computed from the daily wage, so they rise with it. Employers also have to correct wage distortions where the new minimum compresses pay gaps with more senior staff.
4. Is there a national minimum wage increase coming?
A legislated PHP 100 to 200 national increase was debated in the last Congress but lapsed without passage, and similar bills have been refiled. For now, the regional wage orders are the operative rules.