The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) has affirmed Wage Order No. ROVII (CENTRAL VISAYAS)-27, granting a ₱42 daily minimum wage increase for private workers in Central Visayas and the Provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

Under the new wage order, the daily minimum wage rate will increase to ₱582 for workers in Class A areas (Cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapulapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay and Municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando or Expanded Metro Cebu) and ₱542 in Class B areas (Other Cities and Municipalities Not Covered Under Class A). The provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor are now part of the Negros Island Region (NIR), but their cities and municipalities shall remain covered by Wage Order No. RO VII (CENTRAL VISAYAS)-27. Previously, the minimum wage rates in these areas were ₱540 and ₱500.

The amount of increase, using the ₱582 rate as basis for computation, is equivalent to an increase of ₱913.50 per month for a five-day workweek, and ₱1,095.50 for a six-day workweek. Under the new rate, Class A and Class B minimum wage earners will have a monthly take-home pay of about ₱12,789.41 to ₱15,333.53 for a five-day and six-day workweek, respectively, inclusive of mandatory social welfare benefits such as 13th month pay, service incentive leave, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.

These increases will cover 450,185 minimum wage earners in Central Visayas and will take effect on 14 October 2026, or 15 days after its publication on 28 September 2026.

Meanwhile, kasambahays (domestic workers) in Central Visayas and the Provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor will also receive a monthly increase of ₱500 under Wage Order No. ROVII (CENTRAL VISAYAS)-DW-06. This will raise the sector’s monthly minimum wage rate from ₱7,000 to ₱7,500.

In providing the increase, the Central Visayas Wage Board considered the need to address the decline in real wages and recover purchasing power lost due to inflation, while taking into account the region’s economic and productivity gains. The adjustment seeks to enable workers to share the benefits of economic growth while balancing such with the interests and sustainability of enterprises.

The new Wage Order aligns with the standing directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for the timely and regular review of regional minimum wage rates to reduce uncertainty, enhance fairness for all stakeholders, and foster a stronger link between productivity and wages. Between 2023 and 2026, the daily minimum wage rate for private sector workers in Central Visayas has increased by a total of ₱147.

About 483,000 full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage may indirectly benefit from wage adjustments at the enterprise level arising from the correction of wage distortions. A wage distortion occurs when the new minimum wage overlaps with or reduces or eliminates the intentional quantitative difference between the wage rates set at the enterprise level and the previous minimum wage. NWPC Advisory No. 01, Series of 2023, provides guidance to correct possible wage distortions.

Retail and service establishments regularly employing not more than ten (10) workers, and enterprises affected by natural calamities and/or human-induced disasters may apply for exemption from the wage increase, subject to the requirements of the Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination, as amended. Registered Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) are not covered by the minimum wage law.

The Central Visayas Wage Board is the second region to issue a wage order in the 2026-2027 minimum wage review cycle. Between August and September, wage consultations are also being conducted by Regional Boards I, II, III, IV-A, VI (with the province of Negros Occidental), and XII.

DOLE shall undertake a massive information campaign to ensure public awareness and closely monitor compliance by enterprises with the wage order through labor inspection and technical assistance visits. For further clarifications and other concerns, the Central Visayas Wage Board can be reached through rb7@nwpc.dole.gov.ph.