Minimum Wage Philippines 2026: NCR & Regional Daily Rates

Last materially reviewed: August 1, 2026

Minimum wage is the lowest basic wage an employer may legally pay a covered worker for normal working hours. The Philippines does not have one nationwide private-sector minimum wage. Rates are set by regional wage boards and may vary according to location, industry, establishment size, and wage classification.

As of August 1, 2026, the current National Wages and Productivity Commission matrix shows daily minimum-wage rates ranging from ₱366 for certain agricultural establishments in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to ₱755 for non-agricultural workers in the National Capital Region. The applicable rate can change when a new regional wage order or scheduled wage tranche takes effect.

This guide explains the current regional rates, how wage boards determine them, which workers are covered, how to estimate a monthly equivalent, and what an employee may do when an employer appears to be paying below the legal minimum.

Direct Answer

The Philippines has no single nationwide private-sector minimum wage. The correct daily rate depends on the worker’s region, locality, industry, establishment classification, and applicable wage order. Check the current regional rate and its effectivity date before assessing a possible underpayment.

The Philippine minimum wage is a regional daily basic wage for covered private-sector workers. It usually covers no more than eight normal working hours in one day.

The correct amount depends on the employee’s work location, the employer’s industry, the size or classification of the establishment, and the current wage order issued by the appropriate Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.

Overtime pay, holiday pay, rest-day premium pay, and night-shift differential are generally computed separately. They should not be treated as automatically included in the ordinary daily minimum wage.

Legal Basis

Regional wage setting: Republic Act No. 6727, the Wage Rationalization Act, established the National Wages and Productivity Commission and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards. The regional boards issue wage orders based on statutory factors and local economic conditions.

Labor Code protection: Book III of the Labor Code governs minimum wages, payment of wages, non-diminution, deductions, and enforcement. A daily minimum wage ordinarily covers no more than eight normal working hours; overtime and statutory premiums are computed separately.

Penalties and recovery: Republic Act No. 8188 provides penalties and double indemnity for specified minimum-wage violations. Employees should identify the correct wage order, preserve payroll and time records, and raise unresolved underpayment through DOLE or SEnA.

Separate worker frameworks: Kasambahays and qualified Barangay Micro Business Enterprises are governed by separate statutes and wage-order rules. An employer should not assume an exemption without satisfying the governing requirements.

Key Points at a Glance

There is no single private-sector minimum wage for the entire Philippines.
Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards issue wage orders for their respective jurisdictions.
Rates may differ between agriculture and non-agriculture and according to locality, establishment size, or industry.
The daily minimum wage generally covers up to eight normal working hours.
Overtime and other statutory premium payments are computed separately.
Kasambahays are covered by separate monthly minimum-wage orders.
An employer may pay below the ordinary rate only when a valid law or wage-order exemption applies.
An employee who appears to be underpaid should verify the applicable wage order, preserve payroll records, and seek a written explanation.
Wage disputes may be brought to the Department of Labor and Employment through the Single Entry Approach.

Understanding Minimum Wage in the Philippines
Current Minimum Wage Rates by Region
Scheduled Wage Increases
How Minimum Wage Is Determined and Updated
Who Is Covered by Minimum-Wage Rules?
Exemptions and Special Worker Categories
How to Convert a Daily Rate to a Monthly Amount
Employee Rights and Employer Obligations
What to Do If an Employer Pays Below Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage Versus Living Wage
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources

Understanding Minimum Wage in the Philippines

Republic Act No. 6727, known as the Wage Rationalization Act, established the country’s regional wage-setting system. It amended Article 99 of the Labor Code so that minimum wages for agricultural and non-agricultural workers are prescribed by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board with jurisdiction over the employee’s work location.

This means that workers performing similar jobs can have different statutory minimum wages when they work in different regions. Even within one region, the applicable rate may vary according to:

Agricultural or non-agricultural work;
Province, city, municipality, or wage zone;
Retail, service, manufacturing, or another industry classification;
The number of workers regularly employed; or
A special category created by the regional wage order.

The minimum wage is normally expressed as a daily basic wage for up to eight hours of ordinary work. Work beyond eight hours can create a separate overtime-pay entitlement. Work performed on rest days, special days, or regular holidays may also require premium or holiday compensation.

For related rules on normal working time, see What the Philippine Labor Code Says About Working Hours. For work performed at night, see the Night Shift Differential in the Philippines guide.

Current Minimum Wage Rates by Region

The following table is a simplified national reference based on the NWPC’s current regional wage information available as of August 1, 2026. It includes the first tranche of NCR Wage Order No. NCR-27, which took effect on July 25, 2026.

Wage jurisdiction	Non-agriculture	Agriculture and other covered categories
National Capital Region	₱755	₱718
Cordillera Administrative Region	₱505	₱505
Region I — Ilocos	₱480–₱505	₱480
Region II — Cagayan Valley	₱500	₱500
Region III — Central Luzon	₱560–₱600	₱515–₱590
Region IV-A — CALABARZON	₱525–₱600	₱508–₱525
Region IV-B — MIMAROPA	₱455	₱455
Region V — Bicol	₱455	₱455
Region VI — Western Visayas	₱525–₱550	₱520
Region VII — Central Visayas	₱500–₱540	₱500–₱540
Region VIII — Eastern Visayas	₱470	₱440
Region IX — Zamboanga Peninsula	₱464	₱451–₱464
Region X — Northern Mindanao	₱485–₱500	₱485–₱500
Region XI — Davao	₱525	₱515
Region XII — SOCCSKSARGEN	₱460	₱443
Region XIII — Caraga	₱475	₱475
BARMM	₱386–₱411	₱366–₱386

Important: These are condensed rates and ranges. The employee and employer must still check the exact wage order, coverage notes, locality, industry, and establishment classification. A regional range does not mean the employee may simply be paid any amount within that range.

Why rates differ within one region

Several regions apply detailed classifications. Region I, for example, distinguishes between larger non-agricultural establishments and smaller establishments or agricultural operations. Region VII uses geographic categories, including Expanded Metro Cebu and other cities or municipalities.

Region X also uses wage categories. Wage Category I covers specified cities and municipalities, while other localities and certain smaller retail or service establishments fall under Wage Category II. The worker’s actual assignment and the employer’s classification therefore matter.

Scheduled Wage Increases

Some wage orders provide increases in two or more tranches. Employers must apply the correct rate on the legal effectivity date of each tranche.

National Capital Region

NCR Wage Order No. NCR-27 provides a total daily increase of ₱85:

First tranche: ₱60 effective July 25, 2026;
Second tranche: ₱25 effective January 20, 2027.

The current NCR rates are therefore ₱755 for non-agriculture and ₱718 for agriculture, service or retail establishments employing 15 workers or fewer, and manufacturing establishments regularly employing fewer than 10 workers. On January 20, 2027, the rates are scheduled to become ₱780 and ₱743.

Region V — Bicol

The Bicol minimum wage is currently ₱455. Under Wage Order No. RBV-23, a second tranche is scheduled to increase the rate to ₱480 on December 1, 2026.

Region XI — Davao

The current Region XI rates are ₱525 for non-agriculture and ₱515 for agriculture. Under Wage Order No. RB XI-24, the rates are scheduled to increase to ₱540 and ₱525 on September 1, 2026.

A future tranche should not be applied before its legal effectivity date. Payroll systems should nevertheless be prepared in advance so that the new rate is implemented on time.

How Minimum Wage Is Determined and Updated

Role of the regional wage boards

Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards are authorized to:

Determine and fix minimum wages within their regions;
Issue regional wage orders;
Conduct wage, income, employment, and productivity studies;
Receive and decide qualifying exemption applications; and
Implement wage and productivity programs.

The boards include government, labor, and employer representatives. This tripartite structure is intended to bring the interests of workers, businesses, and the government into the wage-setting process.

Role of the National Wages and Productivity Commission

The National Wages and Productivity Commission develops national wage policies, reviews regional wage levels, supervises the regional boards, conducts wage and productivity studies, and decides appeals from regional wage orders.

The regional boards set the rates for their jurisdictions, but they operate within the framework administered by the NWPC.

Factors considered when setting wages

Republic Act No. 6727 identifies factors that may be considered in regional wage fixing, including:

The demand for living wages;
Changes in the consumer price index;
The cost of living and changes in it;
The needs of workers and their families;
Prevailing wage levels;
The employer’s capacity to pay;
Requirements for employment generation;
Family income and living standards; and
The equitable distribution of income and wealth.

The process aims to protect workers while also considering regional economic conditions, employment, productivity, and business sustainability.

Typical petition-to-implementation process

A wage petition is filed, or the board initiates a wage review.
The board collects and evaluates relevant economic data.
Labor and employer consultations are conducted.
Public hearings are held.
The board deliberates and issues a wage order.
The wage order is published in a newspaper of general circulation.
The order becomes effective after the legally required period stated by law and the order.
Employers implement the new rate, including any scheduled tranches.

An aggrieved party may appeal a regional wage order to the NWPC within the period prescribed by law. The filing of an appeal does not automatically suspend the wage order.

Who Is Covered by Minimum-Wage Rules?

Regional wage orders generally cover private-sector minimum-wage earners within the board’s territorial jurisdiction, regardless of the employee’s job title, employment status, or method of payment, unless a lawful exclusion or exemption applies.

Coverage may include:

Regular employees;
Probationary employees;
Project and seasonal employees while employed;
Fixed-term employees;
Part-time employees, proportionate to compensable hours;
Agency-hired workers;
Commission-based employees; and
Piece-rate, task, pakyaw, or other workers paid by results.

Workers paid by result must generally receive at least the equivalent of the applicable minimum wage for eight hours of work, or the proportionate amount for fewer hours, subject to the proper time-and-motion or piece-rate standards.

Government employees are not generally governed by private-sector regional wage orders. Their compensation is determined under government salary-standardization and public-sector compensation rules.

Exemptions and Special Worker Categories

Barangay Micro Business Enterprises

A properly registered Barangay Micro Business Enterprise may be exempt from the statutory minimum wage under Republic Act No. 9178. Its employees remain entitled to applicable social-security and healthcare benefits.

An employer cannot rely only on the claim that it is a small business. It must satisfy the legal requirements for BMBE registration and maintain the documents supporting the exemption.

Small retail and service establishments

Certain regional wage orders allow qualifying retail or service establishments employing no more than a specified number of workers to apply for an exemption. Disaster-affected establishments may also qualify where the applicable order and exemption rules permit it.

These exemptions are not necessarily automatic. They commonly require:

A formal application;
Filing within the deadline stated by the wage order;
Supporting documents; and
Approval by the regional wage board.

Kasambahays and domestic workers

Kasambahays are governed by the Batas Kasambahay and separate regional monthly minimum-wage orders. Their rates should not be taken from the ordinary private-sector daily wage table.

As of June 2026, the NWPC’s domestic-worker matrix showed monthly regional rates ranging from ₱5,500 in BARMM to ₱7,800 in NCR. The correct rate must be verified against the latest domestic-worker wage order for the household’s location.

Apprentices and learners

Workers under duly approved apprenticeship or learnership agreements may receive a wage that is not lower than 75% of the applicable minimum wage, subject to the Labor Code and implementing rules.

Simply calling a new employee a “trainee” does not automatically permit payment below minimum wage. There must be a lawful and duly approved apprenticeship or learnership arrangement.

Persons with disabilities

A qualified employee with a disability is entitled to the same compensation, privileges, benefits, and employment conditions as a qualified employee without a disability. Disability alone is not a lawful reason to pay a lower wage.

Economic-zone workers

Employment inside an economic zone does not, by itself, establish a general exemption from the applicable regional minimum wage. The employer must identify a specific legal or wage-order basis for any claimed exemption.

How to Convert a Daily Rate to a Monthly Amount

A daily minimum wage should not be converted into a fixed monthly salary without first identifying the employee’s actual pay arrangement, number of compensable days, and whether rest days and holidays are paid.

Simple 26-day estimate

A common rough estimate is:

Daily minimum wage × 26 working days

Example rate	Calculation	Approximate gross amount
NCR non-agriculture	₱755 × 26	₱19,630
Region II	₱500 × 26	₱13,000
MIMAROPA	₱455 × 26	₱11,830
Region X, higher category	₱500 × 26	₱13,000

This is only an estimate. It does not automatically include overtime, holiday pay, rest-day premium pay, night-shift differential, allowances, bonuses, reimbursements, or lawful deductions.

Estimated-equivalent monthly formulas

The DOLE Handbook on Workers’ Statutory Monetary Benefits provides guide formulas that differ according to the employee’s pay arrangement:

Pay arrangement	Illustrative formula
Monthly-paid worker paid for all days of the year	Daily rate × 365 ÷ 12
Daily-paid worker not paid on weekly rest days	Daily rate × 313 ÷ 12
Five-day workweek with unpaid Saturdays and Sundays	Daily rate × 261 ÷ 12

For an NCR worker earning ₱755 per day, the 313-day guide factor produces:

₱755 × 313 ÷ 12 = approximately ₱19,692.92 per month

This remains an estimated equivalent. Actual payroll depends on the employee’s classification, paid and unpaid days, attendance, holidays, benefits, and other lawful pay components.

Employee Rights and Employer Obligations

Employers should:

Determine the correct wage order for each work location;
Classify the establishment and workers correctly;
Pay at least the applicable minimum basic wage;
Implement wage orders and tranches on their effectivity dates;
Recompute piece rates when the minimum wage changes;
Maintain payroll, attendance, and proof-of-payment records;
Compute overtime and other statutory compensation separately;
Avoid unauthorized wage deductions; and
Address wage distortion created by mandatory increases.

Employees should examine the basic wage separately from:

Allowances;
Overtime pay;
Holiday pay;
Rest-day or special-day premium pay;
Night-shift differential;
Service charges;
Reimbursements; and
Discretionary bonuses.

An employer should not disguise part of the required minimum basic wage as an allowance merely to make the payroll appear compliant.

When payment is disputed, the employer ordinarily has the burden of proving payment because payrolls, personnel files, and payment records are generally within the employer’s control. Employees should nevertheless preserve their own payslips, bank records, schedules, and communications.

What to Do If an Employer Pays Below Minimum Wage

1. Identify the correct wage order

Confirm the employee’s work location, industry, agricultural or non-agricultural classification, establishment size, applicable wage category, and the legal effectivity date of the rate.

Do not rely only on a national news headline or another worker’s daily rate. The other employee may be assigned to a different locality or wage classification.

2. Preserve evidence

Keep copies of:

The employment contract;
Payslips and payroll screenshots;
Bank-credit records;
Daily time records;
Work schedules;
Company messages and written instructions;
Proof of the employee’s work location or assignment;
Wage-order notices; and
Written requests for a payroll explanation.

3. Calculate the basic wage differential

A useful starting formula is:

Applicable minimum wage − actual basic daily wage = daily wage differential

The daily difference may then be multiplied by the number of covered workdays. Overtime, holiday, night-shift, and premium-pay computations may also require correction when they were based on an unlawfully low basic rate.

4. Request a written payroll explanation

Ask the employer or HR department to identify:

The wage order being applied;
The establishment classification;
The employee’s basic daily rate;
The effectivity date used by payroll;
Any exemption being claimed; and
An itemized computation of deductions and additional pay.

A written request creates a clearer record than a purely verbal discussion.

5. File a Request for Assistance through SEnA

An employee may file a Request for Assistance under DOLE’s Single Entry Approach. SEnA is a conciliation-mediation process intended to provide a speedy and accessible opportunity to resolve employment disputes.

For the filing process, see How to File SEnA in DOLE: Step-by-Step Guide. Employees may also review the types of disputes covered in the SEnA Coverage Guide.

6. Do not delay

Money claims arising from employer-employee relations are generally subject to a three-year prescriptive period. The precise start of the period and the claims covered depend on the facts and applicable law, so a worker should not unnecessarily delay seeking assistance.

Possible employer liability

Republic Act No. 8188 provides penalties and double indemnity for failure to pay prescribed wage increases or adjustments. The exact monetary award and any additional liability depend on the applicable wage order, period of underpayment, evidence, and procedure.

Minimum Wage Versus Living Wage

Minimum wage is the legally enforceable wage floor established through statutes and regional wage orders.

Living wage is a broader concept referring to income sufficient to support a worker and the worker’s family at a decent standard of living.

Article XIII, Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution recognizes workers’ right to humane conditions of work and a living wage. Republic Act No. 6727 operationalizes regional wage fixing and directs wage boards to consider living-wage demands, family needs, inflation, cost of living, employment, and employer capacity to pay.

A wage can therefore comply with the current statutory minimum while still being criticized as inadequate in relation to actual household expenses. That policy debate does not allow an employer to disregard an existing wage order, and it does not automatically replace the statutory rate with a privately calculated living-wage figure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the range of minimum wage in the Philippines?

As of August 1, 2026, the NWPC’s current regional information shows daily rates ranging from ₱366 for certain agricultural establishments in BARMM to ₱755 for non-agricultural workers in NCR.

What is the new minimum wage in NCR?

Effective July 25, 2026, the NCR rate is ₱755 for non-agriculture and ₱718 for agriculture and specified smaller retail, service, and manufacturing establishments. A second tranche is scheduled for January 20, 2027.

Is ₱645 the minimum wage in the Philippines?

No. ₱645 was a previous NCR non-agricultural minimum wage. It was not a single nationwide rate. Current minimum wages differ across regions and classifications.

What is the lowest basic salary in the Philippines?

There is no single nationwide lowest monthly salary. Among the daily rates shown in the current regional matrix, the lowest listed rate is ₱366 for a particular agricultural category in BARMM.

How do I calculate my monthly salary from a daily minimum wage?

For a rough 26-day estimate, multiply the daily rate by 26. For payroll and benefits analysis, use the appropriate annual factor based on whether rest days and holidays are paid.

Does minimum wage include overtime pay?

No. The daily minimum wage generally covers up to eight normal working hours. Overtime compensation is calculated separately.

What happens if my employer pays below minimum wage?

The employee may request a payroll explanation, preserve evidence, seek wage differentials, and file a Request for Assistance through SEnA or pursue the appropriate labor-standards remedy.

Is minimum wage the same in all Philippine provinces?

No. Rates differ by wage jurisdiction, locality, sector, industry, establishment size, and other classifications contained in the applicable regional wage order.

Conclusion

The Philippines does not have one nationwide private-sector minimum wage. The enforceable rate is determined by the applicable regional wage order and can vary according to location, industry, establishment size, and worker classification.

As of August 1, 2026, the current daily rates reflected in the NWPC’s regional information range from ₱366 to ₱755. Employers must identify the correct rate, implement increases on time, and calculate overtime and other statutory benefits separately. Employees should check their basic wage, preserve payroll evidence, and seek clarification or DOLE assistance when underpayment appears to have occurred.

Related LaborCode.ph Guides

Additional Legal References

Constitutional and Statutory Sources

1987 Constitution, Article XIII — Social Justice and Human Rights, Republic of the Philippines. Supports the constitutional recognition of humane conditions of work and a living wage.
Republic Act No. 6727 — Wage Rationalization Act, Congress of the Philippines, June 9, 1989. Establishes the regional wage-setting system, the NWPC, and the RTWPBs.
Republic Act No. 8188, Congress of the Philippines, June 11, 1996. Provides penalties and double indemnity for specified wage violations.
Republic Act No. 10361 — Domestic Workers Act, Congress of the Philippines, January 18, 2013. Provides the statutory framework for kasambahays and domestic-worker wage orders.
Republic Act No. 9178 — Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act, Congress of the Philippines, November 13, 2002. Provides the minimum-wage exemption framework for qualified BMBEs.

Official Wage and Agency Sources

Summary of Current Regional Daily Minimum Wage Rates, National Wages and Productivity Commission. Official national reference for regional non-agricultural, agricultural, and other wage categories.
NCR Minimum Wage Rates and Wage Order No. NCR-27, RTWPB-NCR and NWPC. Supports the ₱755 and ₱718 rates effective July 25, 2026, and the scheduled January 2027 tranche.
Current Monthly Minimum Wage for Domestic Workers, National Wages and Productivity Commission. Official reference for regional kasambahay rates.
Handbook on Workers’ Statutory Monetary Benefits, 2024 Edition, Department of Labor and Employment. Supports coverage principles, wage computations, and guide formulas.
DOLE Strengthens SEnA Implementation Through New Guidelines, Department of Labor and Employment. Explains the updated Single Entry Approach framework.

Jurisprudence

Pigcaulan v. Security and Credit Investigation, Inc., G.R. No. 173648, January 16, 2012, Supreme Court. Discusses proof of payment and the employer’s control over payroll and employment records.

Sources and Legal Citations

Republic Act No. 6727, Wage Rationalization Act — statute; establishes the NWPC, regional wage boards, and the regional wage-setting framework.
Summary of Current Regional Daily Minimum Wage Rates — National Wages and Productivity Commission; official national reference for current regional wage categories. Verified August 1, 2026.
NCR Current Minimum Wage Rates and Wage Order No. NCR-27 — RTWPB-NCR and NWPC; first tranche effective July 25, 2026, including the ₱755 non-agricultural daily minimum wage.
Republic Act No. 8188 — statute; penalties and double indemnity for specified minimum-wage violations.
Republic Act No. 10361, Domestic Workers Act — statute; separate wage framework for kasambahays.
Pigcaulan v. Security and Credit Investigation, Inc., G.R. No. 173648, January 16, 2012 — Supreme Court; jurisprudence; employer control of payroll records and proof of wage payment.

Disclaimer

This article is for general educational and legal-information purposes only. It is not legal advice. Minimum-wage disputes depend on the applicable wage order, work location, employer classification, evidence, and current law. Employees and employers may seek guidance from the appropriate Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, a DOLE regional office, the NLRC, or a qualified Philippine labor lawyer.