House moves to scrap RTWPB

CEBU, Philippines — Speaker Faustino Dy III has ordered the fast-tracking of a sweeping overhaul of the country’s wage system, consolidating key proposals that seek to establish a single national minimum wage and abolish the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.

The consolidated measure brings together several bills pending before the House committee on labor and employment chaired by Rep. Ramon “Jolo” Revilla III. Lawmakers from across party lines authored the proposals in a show of broad support, signaling strong momentum behind efforts to restructure how wages are set nationwide.

“I fought for higher wages during my time as Governor of Isabela. We owe our workers a fair and unified wage system, and the House will act on this,” Dy, who represents the sixth district of Isabela, said during a Feb. 24 meeting with bill authors and leaders of major labor groups and unions.

Following the meeting, Dy directed that the consolidated bill be included in the plenary agenda of the House of Representatives of the Philippines for discussion. He committed to tackling the measure immediately, with the goal of securing its passage by Labor Day on May 1.

The proposed National Minimum Wage Bill seeks to replace the decades-old regional wage-setting system with a unified national wage floor. The measure provides for a structured transition framework intended to ensure economic stability while addressing long-standing pay disparities.

Under the proposal, wage-setting authority would shift to the National Wages and Productivity Commission, replacing the existing regional boards. It adopts a phased approach, with the initial national minimum wage set at no lower than the prevailing rate in the National Capital Region. The bill also includes transition support mechanisms to help affected sectors adjust.

If enacted, the reform aims to narrow regional wage gaps and establish a clearer, consistent national wage floor for workers across the country.

Lawmakers push for support

Earlier, four lawmakers led by Revilla urged their colleagues to back the “National Minimum Wage Bill,” which seeks to institute a uniform salary floor nationwide.

House Bill 5924 was principally authored by Revilla (Cavite), with co-authors Reps. Adrian Salceda (Albay), Elijah “Eli” San Fernando (Kamanggagawa party-list) and Ramon Guico Jr. (Pangasinan).

The lawmakers said the measure intends to correct flaws in the current regional system and create a just, fair and single minimum wage structure that is based not on geography but on the value of one’s work as a Filipino.

“The committee has done its work. The entire House and its leadership must now act decisively,” San Fernando said after the Revilla panel approved HB 5924, while also urging Speaker Dy’s leadership to expedite the bill’s passage.

“We respectfully appeal to our leadership to give this measure the space for plenary debate that it deserves. Workers across the country are watching this process closely, and they hope to see Congress move with urgency and seriousness,” he added.

Revilla emphasized that the proposal is ultimately about restoring fairness to a wage structure that has long divided workers by location, even as markets and prices have largely become national in scope.

The lawmakers also cited public opinion surveys, particularly from OCTA Research and WR Numero Research, which consistently show that higher wages and the rising cost of living rank among the top concerns of Filipinos. (CEBU NEWS)