SEN. Raffy Tulfo has filed Senate Bill 2372, which he said aims to address the legal loopholes of Article 126 of the Labor Code.
Tulfo, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment, said the measure seeks to prohibit any court, tribunal, or entity from issuing a temporary restraining order (TRO) or injunction against the issuance, publication, implementation, enforcement, or effectivity of any wage order.
He cited the recent suspension of Wage Order No. NCR-27 issued by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) granting an P85 increase to the daily minimum wage of private sector workers in the National Capital Region.
“The issuance of a wage order is a product of rigorous public hearings, economic studies, and tripartite consultations involving the government, the labor sector, and the employers,” Tulfo said.
“However, the timely implementation of these much-needed wage adjustments is frequently derailed. Aggrieved parties often resort to filing petitions for TROs or preliminary injunctions before regular courts to halt the enforcement of newly published wage orders,” he added.
Although Article 126 of the Labor Code of the Philippines prohibits injunctions against any proceedings before the NWPC or the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, Tulfo said a legal loophole remains.
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said that he intends to file a resolution appealing to the judiciary to lift the TRO.
“I hope that the Supreme Court or the judiciary can look into this. Every time there is an increase, those who are powerful and wealthy will just go to any court. Let’s have mercy on our workers. They deserve better,” Zubiri said.
Sen. Bong Go urged business owners and employers to make a small sacrifice that would greatly help workers.
Sen. JV Ejercito stressed the importance of protecting the workforce.
“There can be no real economic recovery if our workers remain poor, so we really have to give our support,” Ejercito said.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said that a proposal to institutionalize a P100 wage hike was blocked in 2025 after a deadlock with the House of Representatives despite the Senate’s approval.
Gatchalian on Tuesday called for an investigation into the issuance of the TRO that suspended the implementation of the wage increase.
“The wage increase went through the proper process before the wage board and should already be enjoyed by workers, especially at a time when petroleum prices and the cost of basic commodities continue to rise,” Gatchalian said.
Sen. Robin Padilla raised the issue before the chamber, noting that he had joined leaders of progressive labor groups in a rally outside the Pasig RTC to protest the issuance of the TRO.
Senators Joel Villanueva and Risa Hontiveros said the matter should also be elevated to the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure that the legality of the court order is immediately addressed and that workers’ rights are protected.
