House pushes national minimum wage bill

House Speaker Faustino Dy III has ordered the accelerated consolidation of pending measures seeking a major overhaul of the country’s wage-setting system — including the creation of a single national minimum wage and the abolition of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.

The consolidated proposal merges several bills currently under review by the House Committee on Labor and Employment, authored by lawmakers from various political parties, signaling broad-based support for restructuring how wages are determined nationwide.

In a news release Thursday, Dy directed that the unified measure be placed on the plenary agenda for discussion next week, with the goal of securing House approval by Labor Day.

“I fought for higher wages during my time as Governor of Isabela,” Dy said. “We owe our workers a fair and unified wage system, and the House will act on this.”

Under the proposed reform, wage-setting authority would be transferred to the National Wages and Productivity Commission, replacing the existing regional wage boards.

The measure outlines a phased implementation, with the initial national minimum wage pegged at no less than the prevailing rate in the National Capital Region. Transition mechanisms are also included to cushion the impact on sectors that may be affected by the shift.

If enacted into law, the proposal is expected to reduce long-standing regional wage disparities and establish a clearer and more uniform wage floor for workers across the country.

With plenary deliberations scheduled next week and a Labor Day deadline set, Dy underscored the urgency of the measure, signaling that wage reform is now a legislative priority in the House.