Bicol Workers, Kasambahays to Receive Wage Hike Starting April 5

Workers in the Bicol Region will soon benefit from a ₱40 increase in their daily minimum wage, following the approval of a new wage order by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB).

According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) has affirmed the adjustment, raising the minimum wage to ₱395–₱435 across all sectors starting April 5, 2025. The increase will be implemented in two phases: the first next month and the second on December 1, 2025.

DOLE noted that over 316,000 full-time workers earning slightly above minimum wage may also benefit indirectly from the wage adjustment due to enterprise-level corrections in wage distortion.

For domestic workers (kasambahays), the RTWPB approved a ₱1,000 monthly wage increase, setting the new minimum at ₱6,000. Around 113,000 kasambahays in the region will benefit, 21% of whom are live-in workers.

Zamboanga Update:
Meanwhile, the Zamboanga Peninsula RTWPB issued Wage Order No. RIX-DW-05, granting kasambahays a ₱900–₱1,000 monthly raise. This brings their minimum wage to ₱5,500 in cities and first-class municipalities, and ₱5,000 in other towns. The increase will take effect on December 22, 2025, benefitting nearly 19,000 domestic workers in the region.