The Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 152 issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the implementation of the P85 minimum wage increase for workers in Metro Manila until August 13.

The court granted the petition of Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders, Inc., which sought to temporarily stop the implementation of National Capital Region (NCR) Wage Order No. 27 pending the resolution of their petition for declaratory relief, according to a report by RH Henry Uri.

The Pasig RTC judge granted the petitioners’ prayer for a TRO or status quo ante order to suspend the implementation of the wage increase.

The wage order provides for an P85 increase in the minimum wage for workers in the NCR, to be implemented in two tranches.

The first tranche, amounting to P60, took effect on July 25, while the remaining P25 is scheduled to take effect in February 2027.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said he was “saddened” by the court’s decision but stressed that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) would respect and abide by the ruling.

“Malungkot ako para sa mga manggagawa pero susunod tayo sa utos ng husgado. Kung ano man ang naging basehan ng husgado sa paglalabas ng TRO, hayaan na po natin na sila ang magpaliwanag,” Tolentino said.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) condemned the petition seeking to suspend the implementation of the P85 minimum wage increase in Metro Manila.

TUCP said the petition could deprive workers in the capital region of a wage increase they have long been seeking.

“Workers have already waited far too long for this measly wage increase… Yet even this little relief is now being challenged in court. We will not allow the rights and dignity of Filipino workers to become casualties of corporate greed and legal maneuvering,” the labor group said.