The measure proposing a national minimum wage system is inching toward passage in the House of Representatives.
This, after Cavite 1st district Rep. Jolo Revilla, chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment, ordered on Wednesday, Nov. 26 the committee secretariat to draft a substitute bill consolidating five measures on the institutionalization of a national minimum wage.
These five measures are House Bill (HB) Nos. 55, 94, 3266, 4102, and 5924, with the last one–Revilla’s authored measure–serving as the primary framework. He also told the secretariat to prepare the accompanying committee report.
Revilla says a national minimum wage that would ensure equal pay for Filipino workers regardless of where they live or work. It will effectively abolish the fragmented provincial minimum wage system.
“Walang manggagawang dapat maiwan. Ang sahod ay dapat nagbibigay ng ginhawa—hindi dagdag-pasanin (No worker should be left behind. Wages should provide relief—not add to the burden),” he noted.
The measure proposes the elimination of provincial wage tiers and the eventual phaseout of all Regional Wage Boards. This will shift full authority on wage-setting to the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).
Revilla noted that the heart of the issue was simple: wage rates tied to provincial classifications have created long-standing inequalities. He noted that workers performing the same jobs remain divided by wage gaps solely because they live outside Metro Manila.
According to Revilla, this system has “failed to reflect fairness and has, in many cases, diminished the dignity of the Filipino worker”.
Revilla’s proposal, along with other similar bills now pending in his committee, mandates the NWPC to set a national minimum wage that cannot be lower than the prevailing rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila.
To ease the transition for employers—particularly those outside urban centers—the measure adopts a three-year phase-in period before full implementation.
Under this schedule, 30 percent of the wage difference between regional wages and the national rate will be granted in the first year, 35 percent in the second year, and the remaining difference in the third year. This ensures that wages nationwide eventually align with the national standard.
He clarified that exemptions under the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBE) Act will continue to apply, and in turn guarantee that microenterprises remain protected during the transition.
Revilla emphasized that while the country must push toward a fairer wage system, it must also recognize the realities of small businesses and support their adjustment.
The committee chairman says that removing provincial wage tiers is not merely a technical adjustment but a correction of an outdated and unjust system. He says the goal is to ensure that a Filipino worker’s compensation reflects the value of their labor—not the limitations of their region.
Revilla gave the consolidation order after extensive discussions with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), NWPC, labor groups, employer groups, and other stakeholders.
