FROM P37 TO P45 DAILY INCREASE

IN a move aimed at improving the lives of workers and their dependents in the Ilocos Region, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has announced a wage increase for Region I, covering the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte.

The order, which takes effect on November 19, 2025, sets the new minimum wage increase across the region from ₱37 to ₱45 daily.

Under the newly released Wage Order No. RB 1-24, workers in the private sector will receive a daily minimum wage of ₱505 for companies with 10 or more employees. For smaller businesses with fewer than 10 employees, as well as workers in the agricultural sector, the minimum wage is set at ₱480.

The wage increase was approved after a series of consultations and studies with employers and stakeholders to ensure that the new wage rates strike a balance between the needs of workers and the capabilities of employers.

Additionally, the new order addresses the welfare of domestic workers. Under Wage Order No. RB 1-DW-06: The minimum monthly salary for house helpers will increase by ₱500, bringing their new minimum monthly wage to ₱6,700, effective November 2025.

The adjustments are expected to provide much-needed financial relief to workers in the region, who have long been advocating for better wages to cope with the rising cost of living. (Ahikam Pasion)