House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has set May 1 as the target date for the House of Representatives to pass a wage system reform bill, placing Labor Day at the center of the chamber’s legislative calendar.
Dy directed House leaders to fast-track plenary deliberations on the proposed measure, which seeks to overhaul how minimum wages are determined in the Philippines. The bill aims to move away from the current system of regional wage boards and toward a unified national minimum wage framework. The proposal addresses long-standing concerns over uneven wage rates across regions and the pressure of rising living costs on workers.
“We owe our workers a fair and unified wage system, and the House will act on this,” Dy said.
Under the existing structure, Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards set minimum wage rates based on local economic conditions. The reform bill would centralize the wage-setting process under a national standard, reshaping how pay floors are calculated and applied across the country.
Dy’s May 1 target ties the measure directly to Labor Day, underscoring the administration’s intent to align wage reform with the broader conversation on workers’ rights and economic protection. The outcome of deliberations in the coming weeks will determine whether the proposed overhaul advances on schedule.
