Wage increase in Central Visayas approved

Local

WORKERS in Central Visayas will soon see fatter paychecks, though not as fat as some had hoped.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Central Visayas approved a new wage order raising the daily minimum wage by P37 to P47, effective October 4, 2025.

Under Wage Order No. ROVII-26, employees in Class A areas, including highly urbanized cities Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, as well as component cities Carcar, Danao, Naga, Talisay, and the municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando—will see their minimum daily pay increase from P501 to P540.

For Class B areas, covering Bohol province and other localities outside Metro Cebu, the minimum wage will rise to P500 from previous rates of P463 or P453.

The RTWPB made the decision following public hearings in Cebu City, Dumaguete City, and Tagbilaran City in August 2025.

While labor groups had petitioned for increases ranging from P1,200 to P1,500 per day, the Board opted for a smaller adjustment after reviewing regional economic indicators.

Among the factors cited were a rise in the Consumer Price Index from 120.7 in October 2024 to 123.9 in August 2025, an average inflation rate of 2 percent, a drop in the peso’s purchasing power from P0.83 to P0.78, and the 2023 poverty threshold of P473 per day for a family of five, which left two of the three minimum wage rates below the threshold.

To streamline classifications, the RTWPB merged the previous Class B and Class C categories into a single Class B, leaving only two wage classifications in the region.

The Board approved the order on September 11, 2025, with effectivity 15 days after publication on September 18, 2025.

Employers who fail to comply with the wage increase face penalties under Republic Act 6727, as amended by Republic Act 8188.(MyTVCebu)