ZAMBOANGA. The second tranche of the P25 salary increase for private sector workers in Zamboanga Peninsula will be implemented in June 2026 as scheduled, despite an appeal for its suspension, an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced.
DOLE Denies Suspension Request
DOLE-Zamboanga Peninsula Director Albert Gutib said the Industry Tripartite Council, with guidance from the National Productivity Commission, has denied the request of the employers sector to temporarily suspend the second tranche of wage increase.
The employers sector had appealed to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board to suspend the wage increase due to the continuing and unstable fuel prices brought about by the Middle East crisis.
Legal Basis for Exemption
Gutib explained that exemptions from wage increase are only allowed during instances of natural or human-induced calamities that severely affect business establishments, as stipulated under the Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination, specifically Rule VII.
"The request of the employers sector was denied," Gutib said in a statement. He emphasized that a fuel crisis alone does not qualify as a basis for exemption from wage increase under existing labor regulations.
Impact on Workers
The salary of workers in the private sector in Zamboanga Peninsula will increase to P464 in June 2026, from the current P439 daily, with the implementation of the second tranche of salary hike. This wage adjustment follows the first tranche of the salary increase of P25 from P414 to P439 daily that took effect in January 2026.
Thousands of minimum wage earners in Zamboanga Peninsula will benefit from the implementation of the second tranche of salary hike.
Reactions from Labor and Employers
Labor groups welcomed the decision, stating that the increase would help workers cope with the rising prices of basic commodities, including transportation and other daily expenses. However, the employers sector continues to express concern over the increasing operational cost brought about by the fuel crisis.
