MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino said Friday that the government would continue to pursue legal remedies to defend the P85 daily minimum wage increase in Metro Manila after a Pasig court issued a writ of preliminary injunction against its implementation.
“The ruling of Pasig RTC Branch 152 does not merely suspend a wage increase—it takes food off the table of more than a million Metro Manila workers and their families,” Tolentino said in a mix of Filipino and English.
“Ang ruling ng Pasig RTC Branch 152 ay hindi lamang nagsususpinde ng wage increase—inaalis nito ang pagkain sa hapag ng mahigit isang milyong manggagawa sa Metro Manila at kanilang mga pamilya.”
The Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 152 granted on Aug. 13 the petition of Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc. for a writ of preliminary injunction against Wage Order No. NCR-27.
The order came as a temporary restraining order issued by the same court expired on Aug. 13.
The wage order provides for an P85 daily increase for minimum wage workers in the National Capital Region, with the adjustment taking effect July 25.
He said that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) would use all available legal remedies to challenge the court action.
