Just when Metro Manila workers thought the ₱85 daily wage hike was settled, a Pasig court hit pause on it. Here’s what actually happened, and what it means for your payslip while the legal drama plays out.
Update (August 4, 2026): The August 3 hearing on converting the TRO into a preliminary injunction pushed through as scheduled, but no ruling has been published yet. In the meantime, DOLE confirmed that workers keep the ₱60 already reflected in their payslips since July 25, with no refunds or deductions. Eleven labor groups and unions also filed an urgent motion asking the court to lift the TRO entirely and to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction. Details below.
What Just Happened
On July 30, 2026, the Pasig City Regional Trial Court, Branch 152, issued a 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) against Wage Order No. NCR-27, the order that granted Metro Manila’s minimum wage earners an ₱85 daily increase.
Judge Marie Joyce P. Manongsong granted the TRO after two construction firms, Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders, Inc., filed a petition arguing that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-NCR (RTWPB-NCR) failed to properly weigh employers’ capacity to pay, as required under Article 124 of the Labor Code.
The TRO blocks the RTWPB-NCR and the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) from implementing NCR-27 until August 13, 2026. A hearing on whether to convert this into a longer preliminary injunction is set for August 3, 2026.
Timeline Recap: How We Got Here
If you’re just catching up, here’s the quick version. The RTWPB-NCR signed Wage Order No. NCR-27 on June 23, 2026, approving the largest single daily wage increase in the region’s history. The order was published on July 9, and under the 15-day publication rule, it legally took effect on July 25, 2026 (not July 19, as initially floated, which some outlets mistakenly reported as a “delay”).
The ₱60 first tranche did take effect on July 25, bringing the non-agriculture minimum wage to ₱755 and the lower-tier rate (agriculture, small retail/service, and small manufacturing) to ₱718. The second tranche of ₱25 was still scheduled for January 20, 2027, which would have brought the rates to ₱780 and ₱743 respectively.
Employer groups like the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) had already pushed for a suspension before this, and both DOLE and Malacañang publicly denied any such move was happening at the time. So this TRO is a genuinely new development, not a continuation of that earlier noise.
So What Do Employers Pay Right Now
This part is now clearer than it was a few days ago. DOLE has confirmed that the ₱60 tranche already paid out since July 25 stays with workers. No refunds, no payroll deductions, regardless of how the case turns out. That’s the one settled point so far.
What’s still unresolved is whether employers should keep applying the ₱60 rate going forward while the TRO remains active, since the court order technically bars the wage board from enforcing NCR-27 until the case is decided. As of this writing, no separate DOLE advisory has walked through that forward-looking question in detail, so treat this as a live situation rather than a closed one.
In practical terms, there are still two open legal questions, and they’re separate from each other:
- Whether NCR-27 was properly set in the first place (the merits of the case)
- Whether a court can pause a wage order this way at all (the TRO’s own validity, which is now itself being challenged)
Neither question is resolved yet. Labor groups have specifically raised the second question in their new filing, arguing that Article 126 of the Labor Code doesn’t allow courts to interfere with wage board proceedings at all, which would make the TRO improper regardless of the merits of the underlying case.
Labor Groups Push Back
On August 2, eleven labor groups, unions, and political parties, including the Federation of Free Workers and SENTRO, filed an urgent motion asking the Pasig court to lift the TRO and to dismiss the petition filed by Readycon and R-II Builders outright. Their argument centers on jurisdiction: they say the companies should have appealed through the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) under Article 123 of the Labor Code, not gone straight to a regular court.
The Office of the Solicitor General, representing the wage board and NWPC, has also signaled it will challenge the TRO itself on similar grounds. So while the original case is about whether the ₱85 increase was properly computed, a second fight has opened up over whether the court had the authority to pause it this way in the first place.
What Happens Next
- August 3, 2026 (done): Hearing on converting the TRO into a preliminary injunction took place, but no ruling has been published as of this writing
- August 13, 2026 (upcoming): Current TRO expires on its own terms unless extended or converted into a longer injunction
We’ll update this post again once the court rules on the injunction, or once the TRO lapses on August 13. If you want the full breakdown of the original wage order (the rate table, sector coverage, and how the increase affects your monthly take-home pay), check out our full guide on the NCR Minimum Wage Hike 2026.
If you want to see exactly how a wage change like this flows into your monthly take-home pay, you can also run the numbers yourself using our net salary calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the NCR wage hike cancelled?
No. A TRO is a temporary pause, not a cancellation. The court has not ruled on the merits of the case yet. The wage order could still be upheld after the August 3 hearing.
Do I still get the ₱60 increase in my payslip?
Yes. DOLE has confirmed that the ₱60 already paid out since July 25 stays with workers, with no refunds or payroll deductions, no matter how the court case turns out.
Why did two construction companies file this case?
Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders, Inc. argued that the wage board didn’t adequately consider employers’ capacity to pay before approving the ₱85 increase.
When will this be resolved?
The August 3 hearing on a longer injunction already took place, but no ruling has come out yet. The current TRO expires on its own terms on August 13, 2026, unless the court extends or converts it before then. A final ruling on the wage order itself could still take longer, especially now that labor groups have also asked the court to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction.
Does this affect the January 2027 second tranche?
Yes, indirectly. If the TRO becomes a longer injunction, both the ₱60 tranche already in place and the ₱25 tranche scheduled for January 20, 2027 would be affected until the case is resolved.
Blogger’s Corner
Grabe, parang telenovela na itong NCR-27 no? Confirmed effective, then postponed, then confirmed again, then paused by a court. Sabi ko na nga ba hindi pa tapos ang kwento. Kaya bago tayo mag-adjust ng budget or payroll based dito, hintayin muna natin yung malinaw na advisory. Ita-track ko ito hanggang sa may desisyon na, so bookmark this page o i-follow niyo kami sa Facebook para updated kayo.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Wage order implementation is subject to ongoing litigation and may change. Please consult DOLE advisories or a labor law professional for guidance specific to your situation.