Senate Resolution 577 Demands Immediate Lift of Pasig RTC TRO on NCR Wage Hike

In a recent ANC 24/7 report, senators from across the political spectrum voiced strong opposition to the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 152 temporary restraining order that halted Wage Order NCR-27, the P85 daily minimum wage increase for workers in Metro Manila. Their united stand, formalized this week through Proposed Senate Resolution No. 577, seeks to restore the wage hike's full effect without further court delays — a fight that reaches into the daily budgets of more than a million Filipino families.

Senate Resolution 577 Demands Immediate Lift of Pasig RTC TRO on NCR Wage Hike

Manila, Philippines – August 6, 2026 — The Philippine Senate adopted Proposed Senate Resolution No. 577 on Wednesday, calling on Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 152 to lift its temporary restraining order against Wage Order NCR-27. All 21 senators available to sign the measure did so, with Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri securing majority signatures and Sen. Robin Padilla gathering minority support. The resolution urges the court to respect the wage board's decision and allow the remaining P25 tranche, scheduled to take effect early next year, to reach workers.

Senate Crosses Party Lines for Worker Relief

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri stated that advancing worker welfare must rise above party lines and political affiliations. He gathered signatures from both majority and minority blocs to send a clear message that the wage board's decision should be final and implemented. Sen. Robin Padilla echoed this unity with the phrase "Kayo'y kakampi namin," emphasizing shared commitment against the TRO. Sen. Risa Hontiveros added that the already modest increase was further suspended, calling the delay unacceptable for families struggling with daily costs.

The signature drive itself was a rarity in a chamber where labor measures rarely draw such broad backing. Zubiri personally collected support from both majority and minority members, including Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, to affirm that the wage board decision must stand. This cross-aisle effort signals that the P85 increase under Wage Order NCR-27 carries weight beyond routine legislation.

Minority Senator Robinhood Padilla gathered additional signatures and told workers on ANC 24/7 that the Senate stands as their ally. The unified stance from Gatchalian, Cayetano, and Zubiri underscores the political priority placed on shielding the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-NCR process from court delays. It also highlights how the resolution positions the Senate against any precedent that could let individual petitions stall future adjustments in regions such as Cagayan de Oro.

Details of Wage Order NCR-27 and the Pasig TRO

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-NCR approved Wage Order NCR-27 after consultations with labor, employers, and government representatives. The order raises the daily minimum wage to P780 in the non-agriculture sector and P743 in other covered sectors through two tranches, with the first P60 tranche taking effect in late July. Pasig RTC Branch 152 issued the TRO last week following a petition by construction firms Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc., which claimed the hike would raise costs and lead to layoffs. The court required the companies to post a P1 million bond and scheduled a hearing on the writ of preliminary injunction earlier this week, suspending the order until mid-August.

Legal Protections Under the Labor Code

Article 126 of the Labor Code, as amended by Republic Act 6727, prohibits courts, tribunals, or other entities from issuing injunctions or TROs against proceedings before the National Wages and Productivity Commission or regional wage boards. Zubiri warned that allowing the Pasig TRO to stand would set a bad precedent, enabling similar challenges to future wage orders such as a potential P30 increase in Cagayan de Oro or Northern Mindanao. The resolution text affirms the Senate's support for the Department of Labor and Employment, the National Wages and Productivity Commission, and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in protecting workers' right to a living wage.

The provision was written precisely to shield the National Wages and Productivity Commission and regional wage boards from injunctions when employers disagree with outcomes. Labor groups cite Buenaflor v. Ramirez to argue that Regional Trial Courts lack jurisdiction to entertain challenges that bypass the tripartite system established under the Wage Rationalization Act. The Pasig RTC Branch 152 TRO issued last week and the Navotas RTC Branch 287 hearing set for today test whether that statutory bar will hold.

Nagkaisa warned that allowing the two construction firms behind the Pasig petition to seek relief in different branches amounts to forum shopping that could freeze every future wage order. If courts repeatedly override the boards, the entire wage-fixing mechanism set up after RA 6727 would lose force, leaving adjustments vulnerable to suits filed in any friendly venue across Metro Manila or beyond.

Human Impact on 1.1 Million Metro Manila Families

More than 1.1 million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila stand to benefit directly from the full P85 increase, which recognizes the value of their labor amid rising prices of goods, food, and fare. Zubiri noted that while the wage hike remains pending, no TRO halts increases in everyday expenses that strain household budgets in areas like Quezon City, Pasig, and Navotas. Sen. Bong Go highlighted that workers "pinagpaguran nila ito," underscoring the effort behind every peso earned. Sen. Raffy Tulfo described the TRO as prejudicing the working class operating on the margins of survival.

For a worker earning the minimum wage, every peso counts in a weekly budget stretched across rice, jeepney fares, and school supplies. The suspension means households in Pasig, Quezon City, Navotas, and Manila are left waiting for relief that the wage board already approved, even as market prices keep moving in the other direction.

The Alliance of Philippine Fishing Federations petition filed in Navotas RTC Branch 287 directly involves fishing communities whose members operate on narrow margins, adding a second industry to the legal fight alongside construction. Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino has expressed DOLE's disappointment that the delay continues to affect households already operating on limited resources.

New Petition Filed in Navotas RTC Branch 287

Today, Navotas RTC Branch 287 is set to hold a clarificatory hearing via videoconference for a petition for declaratory relief filed by the Alliance of Philippine Fishing Federations Inc. against the RTWPB-NCR and the NWPC. Presiding Judge Romana Lindayag Del Rosario ordered the hearing after petitioner compliance, with the Federation of Free Workers and Nagkaisa Labor Coalition set to participate. Nagkaisa argued that the case now concerns whether every future wage increase can be frozen by lawsuits, warning that bypassing wage boards would render the country's wage-fixing system meaningless.

Broader Implications for Philippine Wage System

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino commended Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Zubiri, and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for championing statutory wage increases in the NCR and other regions. Sen. JV Ejercito called the TRO an alarming case of injustice and pushed for an across-the-board P250 minimum wage increase. Sen. Joel Villanueva described the P85 hike as "pagkilala sa sipag, ambag ng mga manggagawang Pilipino." The resolution reinforces that the Senate will stand with workers until the increase reaches their hands, recognizing every family's right to live with dignity rather than treating it as charity.

The two-front legal contest could decide whether wage orders remain insulated from individual suits. If courts accept the argument that employers may bypass the wage boards entirely, the tripartite system that has guided Philippine wage setting since the Wage Rationalization Act would face its most serious test in decades.

The outcome will shape the long-standing debate between legislated hikes and the tripartite wage board system that has produced adjustments such as the 2023 P40 and 2024 P35 increases. If RTC branches continue to issue restraining orders, employers in construction and fishing sectors could replicate the strategy nationwide, weakening the Labor Code safeguards that have guided wage setting since RA 6727.

What to Watch For

The Pasig RTC Branch 152 hearing on the writ of preliminary injunction remains scheduled, while labor groups continue urging dismissal of both the Pasig and Navotas petitions under Article 126. Observers will monitor whether the courts uphold the Labor Code prohibition on TROs against wage board decisions. Any ruling could influence how regional wage boards in places like Cagayan de Oro handle future adjustments amid ongoing inflation pressures on Filipino households.

By Bella Reyes, Staff Writer

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Reporting is based on sources cited in the article.