Davao Region Minimum Wage Earners to Receive Pay Increases Starting March 2026
Thousands of workers in the Davao Region, particularly minimum-wage earners in the private sector and domestic workers, are set to receive pay increases this year after labor authorities approved a new round of wage adjustments. The Department of Labor and Employment announced that the National Wages and Productivity Commission has approved Wage Order No. RB XI-24 and Wage Order No. RB XI-DW-04, as endorsed by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board - Davao Region.
Two-Tranche Increase for Private Sector Workers
Under Wage Order No. RB XI-24, private sector workers will receive daily wage increases ranging from P20 to P30, to be implemented in two tranches. Workers in the non-agriculture sector will receive a total increase of P30 per day. The first tranche of P15 will be granted upon effectivity of the wage order on March 13, 2026, raising the daily minimum wage from P510 to P525. A second P15 increase will take effect on September 1, 2026, bringing the daily minimum wage to P540.
Meanwhile, workers in the agriculture sector will receive a total daily increase of P20. Starting March 13, their wages will rise by P10 from P505 to P515, followed by another P10 increase on September 1, 2026, setting the new daily minimum wage at P525. Upon full implementation of both tranches, the new monthly salaries will be P14,085 for non-agriculture workers and P13,693.75 for agricultural workers.
Salary Adjustment for Domestic Workers
Domestic workers in the region will also receive monthly wage increases under Wage Order No. RB XI-DW-04. Household workers in chartered cities and first-class municipalities will receive an additional P500 per month, while those in other municipalities will get a P1,500 increase. The adjustment raises the monthly minimum wage in the region to P6,500 for both domestic workers in cities and municipalities.
Wider Impact and Possible Exemptions
The RTWPB-Davao said the wage adjustments were issued following a comprehensive review of prevailing socio-economic conditions and consultations with stakeholders, including labor groups, employers, and concerned government agencies. Meanwhile, Dole said around 402,968 full-time workers earning above the minimum wage may benefit indirectly from technical assistance programs of the NWPC and RTWPB-XI aimed at promoting productivity and addressing wage-related concerns.
However, certain establishments may apply for exemption. Under the NWPC Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination, retail and service establishments regularly employing not more than 10 workers, as well as enterprises adversely affected by natural calamities or human-induced disasters, may seek exemption from compliance with the wage order. Barangay Micro Business Enterprises remain exempt from coverage under the minimum wage law pursuant to Republic Act 9178.
Criticisms Over Wage Hike
Amid the P20-P30 increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in the Davao Region, progressive groups remain firm in their stance that workers deserve a livable wage, not a measly increase. Rauf Sissay, representative of Bayan Muna Partylist and Kilusang Mayo Uno-Southern Mindanao, said their position remains the same: a P1,200 livable wage for workers. He said the approved increase is an insult to hardworking minimum wage earners, especially amid worsening inflation.
On May 1, 2025, during the commemoration of Labor Day, KMU-SMR called for a P1,200 nationwide living wage, citing the growing difficulty Filipino families face in meeting their daily needs. The demand stems from the urgent need to support communities grappling with rising market prices and ongoing economic challenges.
On September 27, 2024, the Nonoy Librado Development Foundation conducted a consultative workshop with various workers in the region to assess the daily needs of a family of five. The study found that workers need at least P1,402.48 per day to meet basic living costs — far above the current P510 to P525 daily wage in the Davao Region. The foundation said the proposed national wage of P1,200 is closer to the P1,402.48 estimated daily need for a family of five, and they are pushing for its implementation across the Philippines.
The wage order was published on February 25, 2026, and will formally take effect on March 13, 2026. Copies of the new issuance are available on the NWPC website.
