The P85 daily wage increase for Metro Manila workers could remain suspended even after the temporary restraining order issued by the Pasig Regional Trial Court expires, as a separate case before the Navotas RTC may trigger another court order blocking its implementation.
The Pasig RTC Branch 152 issued a 14-day TRO against Wage Order No. NCR-27, which granted an additional P85 increase for private sector workers in the National Capital Region. The order is set to expire on August 13, but labor groups warned that another legal challenge could prolong the delay.
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesperson Carlos Miguel Oñate said a new petition filed before the Navotas RTC Branch 287 by a group of commercial fishing companies could become another obstacle to the wage hike.
“Meron pang panibagong kasong naka-file mula sa isang samahan ng commercial fishing companies… Mawala [man] yung TRO natin sa Pasig RTC, eh meron naman sa Navotas RTC na maaaring maglabas o pagbigyan yung status quo ante order,” Oñate said.
A status quo ante order would generally seek to restore or preserve the situation that existed before the challenged action while the court considers the petition, potentially keeping the ₱85 wage increase on hold even after the Pasig TRO expires.
Oñate called on the courts to consider the impact of prolonged delays on workers who have already been granted the wage adjustment through the regional wage board process. He also urged lawmakers to pass a legislated wage increase to prevent future wage adjustments from being repeatedly challenged through court petitions.
The TRO has since turned into a broader labor fight. Twenty-one senators from the majority and minority signed Senate Resolution No. 577, initiated by Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, calling for the immediate lifting of the court order.
Workers have taken the same demand to the streets and the courtroom. Labor groups including the Federation of Free Workers, SENTRO and Partido Manggagawa moved to intervene in the case, while workers protested outside the Pasig RTC and later at the Department of Labor and Employment.
The TRO was issued despite President Bongbong Marcos‘ support for higher wages through regional wage boards. Before his SONA, Marcos publicly cited the ₱85 NCR increase and said regional wage boards across the country were reviewing minimum wages based on local economic conditions and living costs.
With the Pasig TRO nearing its end, the focus now shifts to the Navotas RTC, where another ruling could determine whether Metro Manila workers will finally receive the approved wage increase or face another round of suspension.
