DSWD begins distribution of cash assistance to tricycle drivers in Calabarzon

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — Workers in the CALABARZON region are set to receive relief as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) approved a P15-P40 wage hike aimed at helping them cope with rising living costs amid the crisis brought by the tensions in the Middle East.

RTWPB board secretary lawyer Rio Ariel Soriano emphasized that CALABARZON, one of the country’s major industrial hubs, hosts a large number of workers employed in manufacturing, logistics, and service sectors.

With this, any wage adjustment in the region has a wide-reaching impact on both workers and the local economy.

“Inaasahan natin sa mga makakatanggap nito na kahit papaano na magkaroon ng karagdagang purchasing power na hoping na makapag-cope sa kasalukuyang nararanasang paghihikahos dito sa ating bansa in line sa mga kaganapang hindi naman natin ganap na nakokontrol,” he said during a Philippine Information Agency’s radio program.

Under Wage Order No. IVA-22 effective April 1, the RTWPB approved a P15 increase in the daily minimum wage for workers in the private sector in second to fifth class municipalities, increasing the minimum wage from P510 to P525.

While a P40 increase in daily minimum wage is implemented for private establishment workers in reclassified first-class municipalities. This increases their remuneration from P510 to P550.

The wage order in the region covers both non-agricultural and agricultural workers, including those employed in retail and service establishments, though specific rates may vary depending on the sector and size of the enterprise.

Soriano added that the new wage order was based on a thorough review of socio-economic indicators, including inflation rate, cost of living, and the capacity of employers to pay.

The board also conducted consultations with labor groups, employers, and other stakeholders before finalizing the decision.

“At the same time, tinitiyak din natin na balanse ang desisyon upang hindi naman mahirapan ang ating mga negosyo, lalo na ang maliliit na kumpanya,” Soriano said.

RTWPB, with the help of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), assured that it will intensify its monitoring and enforcement efforts to ensure compliance with the new wage order and also pledged to assist employers in implementing the adjustment smoothly.

Soriano added, “Ako ay naniniwala sa RTWPB at sa pribadong sektor na lahat tayo ay may good faith pagdating sa pagsunod sa mga panuntunan kabilang na itong Wage Order No. 22. At inaasahan natin na pagdating sa mga susunod na araw ay iikot po ang ating mga kasamahan sa mga provincial offices sa ating mga nasasaklaw na establisimyento na required magpatupad ng wage order 22 [upang tiyakin na ito] ay ipinapatupad.”

On October 5, 2025, the RTWPB Calabarzon approved a wage order that adjusted the daily minimum wage for first-class municipalities workers to P550, while those based in component cities and extended metropolitan areas earn a daily minimum wage of P600.

As economic uncertainties persist, the new wage hike is seen as a crucial step toward protecting workers’ welfare while sustaining economic activity in one of the country’s key growth regions. (AM, CH/PIA-CALABARZON)