Labor group Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) has called for the summary dismissal of the judge who issued the temporary restraining order (TRO) suspending the implementation of the National Capital Region’s ₱85 daily minimum wage increase, saying disciplinary action should be taken if it is established that the order was issued in patent disregard of the Labor Code.
The Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued the TRO halting the implementation of NCR Wage Order No. 27, which provides for an ₱85 daily wage increase for Metro Manila workers. The wage increase comes after President Bongbong Marcos, in his fifth SONA, reiterated his administration’s push for higher wages through regional wage boards across the country.
“SENTRO calls for the summary dismissal of the judge if it is established that the order was issued in patent disregard of the Labor Code. The bench cannot be used to frustrate workers’ rights or provide employers with a backdoor to defeat wage increases,” the labor group said in a statement.
SENTRO also said the judiciary “cannot be used to frustrate workers’ rights or provide employers with a backdoor to defeat wage increases.”
The organization maintained that the Labor Code expressly prohibits courts from issuing injunctions against proceedings of regional wage boards and questioned the Pasig RTC’s decision to suspend the wage order despite acknowledging the legal restriction.
The TRO has drawn strong opposition from workers and labor groups, triggering protests outside the Pasig RTC and the Department of Labor and Employment that were joined by politicians across the political spectrum, including Sen. Robin Padilla, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña and Kamanggagawa Party-list Rep. Eli San Fernando. Twenty-one senators, representing both the majority and minority blocs, have likewise united in calling for the immediate lifting of the order.
Despite recognizing that the Labor Code generally bars courts from issuing injunctions against wage board proceedings, the Pasig RTC ruled that the petition raised sufficient grounds to temporarily suspend the implementation of the wage order while the case is being heard.
