REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 
Introduced by 
Pangasinan 5th District Representative HON. RAMON N. GUICO JR., 
Cagayan 3rd District Representative HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA & 
ABONO Party-List Representative HON. ROBERT RAYMUND M. ESTRELLA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
With the National Capital Region (NCR), the center of trade and commerce in the country, 
placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) together with the whole of Luzon, daily 
business operations had either been severely reduced or totally disrupted. As a consequence, many 
Filipinos have gone out of work and thousands had since returned or has been constantly trying to return 
to their home provinces. These developments had highlighted to a great extent two of the most 
pressing issues of the country: the extreme congestion of Metro Manila, which most certainly, 
exacerbated the spread of COVID-19; and the dismal lack of job opportunities in many regions 
outside the NCR. 
In response to this emerging reality and in anticipation of the “new normal” post-pandemic, the 
government touted the Balik-Probinsya program as the panacea both to the dearth of opportunities 
in the provinces and the increasingly claustrophobic metropolis. It would be no exaggeration to say 
that the program is gaining traction in all levels of government and even among the general population, 
which in itself is a moral victory, but its success in practice would depend on how the government 
can make employment in the provinces appealing enough so that people would not only choose to 
stay there, but be better off because of it. 
One of the reasons why many Filipinos opt to brave the perils of moving to Metro Manila 
is the glaring disparity between the wages paid in the capital region and those of the other regions. 
Simply put, staying in the provinces just doesn’t pay enough considering the rising costs of living 
in the country. The system of regional wage boards was supposed to rationalize the wages across the 
regions. It was meant to respond to evolving economic realities and adjust wage rates so workers 
remain fairly compensated, but the realities on the ground offer a different perspective. To illustrate, 
as of March 2020, the current real minimum wage rate for NCR is at P449.75 in the non-agriculture 
sectors; and for both plantation and non-plantation agriculture, the rate is at 418.76. For 
BARMM, which is one of the country’s poorest regions, the rate is at 251.94 for non- agriculture and 
232.56 for both plantation and non-plantation agriculture. The difference between the region’s 
respective wage rates is almost double and a similar trend can be observed when looking across 
the current minimum wage rate board. Furthermore, it can also be inferred from such a trend that 
the regions with the lowest minimum wage rates are also the poorest and most 
July 4, 2022
3:50 pm
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underperforming. Add the fact that there is not any statistically significant variation between the 
market prices of basic commodities between the regions and the effectiveness and the very purpose of 
the regional wage boards will now crumble in full. 
 
Common sense dictates that without the prospect of growth, people leave the province s; and 
the provinces, without the human capital to needed for it to develop, gets trapped in this vicious cycle 
of poverty. It is therefore imperative for the government to break this cycle and breathe new life to 
the provinces by first equalizing wages across all regions through the establishment of a general 
minimum wage rate in order incentivize working in the provinces. 
 
More importantly Filipino workers, regardless of where they are stationed, shall not feel as 
if the value of their labor is less than that of another. Work in Metro Manila and between any other 
province in particular are both important undertakings critical to national and local development 
and should therefore be compensated fairly and equally. 
 
The Balik Probinsya program is certainly a worthwhile endeavor and while, without a 
shadow of a doubt, there are plenty of moving parts to assemble for this program to truly work, 
this proposed legislation will steer the program in the right direction. With the government set to 
roll out mega infrastructure projects throughout the country, it would be timely to provide for a 
general minimum wage for all regions—capitalizing on the fact that many of our workers had 
returned to their hometowns. No longer will they be compelled to leave again, since the 
government’s programs shall entice them to stay. 
 
As such, under this Act, the Regional Tripartite Wages Productivity Board is hereby 
abolished, establishing in its stead a general minimum wage rate for all regions, the amount of 
which will be pegged on the current minimum wage rate for the National Capital Region through 
a wage order issued at the time of the Act’s effectivity. In lieu of the RTWPB, the National Wages 
Productivity Commission shall undertake an expanded role with the issuance of wage orders to 
adjust the general minimum wage rate every three (3) years, provided that the general minim um wage 
rate shall not be adjusted lower than the amount prescribed by the Commission in the initial wage order 
the Commission will issue upon the effectivity of this Act. Moreover, the National Tripartite 
Conference shall hereby play a more critical role in the adjustment of the general minimum wage. 
Finally, stiffer penalties are to be imposed for those who shall violate the law. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
REP. RAMON N. GUICO JR. 
REP. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA 
                 5th District Pangasinan 
3rd District Cagayan 
 
 
 
REP. ROBERT RAYMUND M. ESTRELLA 
ABONO Party-list 


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 
Introduced by 
Pangasinan 5th District Representative HON. RAMON “MONCHING” N. GUICO JR., 
Cagayan 3rd District Representative HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA & 
ABONO Party-list Representative HON. ROBERT RAYMUND ESTRELLA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A GENERAL MINIMUM WAGE RATE FOR PRIVATE SECTOR 
WORKERS AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS 
AMENDED 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled, 
1 
2 
Act.” 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “General Minimum Wage 
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Article XIII, Sec. 3 of the 1987 Constitution entitle 
4 
workers to security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a living wage. In recognition of 
5 
this, the State shall hereby adopt a general minimum wage for private sector workers with the goal 
6 
of eradicating regional wage disparities and improving workers’ living standards throughout all 
7 
the regions of the country. 
8 
SEC. 3. Chapter II, Article 99 of the Labor Code of the Philippines is hereby amended to 
9 
read as follows: 
10 
“ART. 99. [Regional] GENERAL Minimum Wage[s]. – The GENERAL 
11 
minimum wage [rates] for ALL agricultural and non-agricultural employees and 
12 
workers in each and every region of the country shall be [those] THAT prescribed 
13 
by the [Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board] THE NATIONAL 
14 
WAGES PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION.” 
15 
SEC. 4. Chapter V, Article 121 of the Labor Code of the Philippines is hereby amended to 
16 
read as follows: 
17 
“xxx 
1 
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1 
(c) To [prescribe] ADOPT rules and guidelines for the determination of THE
2 
appropriate GENERAL minimum wage and productivity measures [at the
3 
regional, provincial, or industry levels];
4 
(d) To [review regional wage levels set by the Tripartite Wages and Productivity
5 
Boards to] determine [if these are] AND FIX, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
6 
COMMISSION’S GUIDELINES AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
7 
PLANS, THE GENERAL 
MINIMUM WAGE AND ISSUE THE
8 
CORRESPONDING WAGE ORDERS EVERY THREE (3) YEARS.
9 
(e) xxx
10 
[(f) To review plans and programs of the Regional Tripartite Wages and 
11 
Productivity Boards to determine whether these are consistent with national 
12 
development plans.] 
13 
[(g) To exercise technical and  administrative supervision over the Regional 
14 
Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.] 
15 
[(h)] (F) To call, [from time to time] EVERY THREE (3) YEARS, a national 
16 
tripartite conference of representatives of government, workers, and employers for 
17 
the deliberation of ADJUSTING THE AMOUNT OF THE GENERAL 
18 
MINIMUM WAGE [and], INCLUDING MEASURES WHICH PROMOTE 
19 
PRODUCTIVITY 
AND 
THE 
WELFARE 
OF 
WORKERS 
AND 
20 
EMPLOYEES; and 
21 
[(i)] (G) To exercise such powers and functions as may be necessary to imple ment 
22 
this Act. 
23 
xxx” 
24 
SEC. 5. Abolition of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board. – Article 
25 
122 of the Labor Code of the Philippines is hereby repealed. The Regional Tripartite Wages and 
26 
Productivity Boards (RTWPB) created by virtue of Republic Act No. 6727, otherwise known as 
27 
the Wage Rationalization Act is hereby abolished. 
28 
SEC. 6. Chapter V, Article 123 of the Labor Code of the Philippines shall hereby be 
29 
amended to read as follows: 
30 
“ART. 123. Wage Order. – [Whenever conditions in the region so warrant,] [t]The 
31 
COMMISSION shall investigate and study all pertinent facts IN THE 
32 
DELIBERATIONS OF THE TRI-ANNUAL NATIONAL TRIPARTITE 
33 
CONFERENCE; and based on the standards and criteria herein prescribed 
34 
EXAMINE WHICH AMOUNT OF THE GENERAL MINIMUM WAGE 
35 
CAN SUITABLY CONTRIBUTE TO PROVIDING WORKERS WITH AN 
36 
APPROPRIATE MINIMUM LEVEL OF PROTECTION CONSIDERING 


1 
PREVAILING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, TO ENABLING FAIR AND 
2 
FUNCTIONING CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION, AND TO NOT 
3 
JEOPARDIZING EMPLOYMENT. WHEN SETTING THE GENERAL 
4 
MINIMUM WAGE, THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBSEQUENTLY BE 
5 
GUIDED BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING DEVELOPMENTS. Any such 
6 
Wage Order SHALL BE ISSUED EVERY THREE (3) YEARS AND shall take 
7 
effect after fifteen (15) days from its complete publication in at least one (1) 
8 
newspaper of general circulation [in the region]. 
 
9 
THE COMMISSION SHALL REGULARLY EVALUATE THE IMPACT 
10 
OF THE GENERAL MINIMUM   WAGE IN RESPECT OF THE 
11 
PROTECTION OF WORKERS, CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION, 
12 
EMPLOYMENT WITH REGARD TO CERTAIN INDUSTRIES AND 
13 
REGIONS, AS WELL AS PRODUCTIVITY. THE COMMISSION SHALL 
14 
FURNISH THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES AS 
15 
WELL AS BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS A REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS 
16 
EVERY THREE (3) YEARS. 
 
17 
[In the performance of its wage-determining functions, the Regional Board shall 
18 
conduct public hearings/consultations, giving notices to employees’ and 
19 
employers’ groups, provincial, city, and municipal officials and other interested 
20 
parties.] 
 
21 
Any party aggrieved by the Wage Order issued by the [Regional Board] 
22 
COMMISSION may appeal such order to the Commission within ten (10) 
23 
calendar days from the publication of such order. It shall be mandatory for the 
24 
Commission to decide such appeal within [sixty (60)] THIRTY (30) calendar days 
25 
from the filing thereof. 
 
26 
xxx” 
 
27 
SEC. 7. Chapter V, Article 124 of the Labor Code of the Philippines is hereby amended to 
28 
read as follows: 
 
29 
“ART. 124. Standards/Criteria for Minimum Wage Fixing. – The [regiona l] 
30 
GENERAL minimum wage[s] to be established [by the Regional Board] shall be 
31 
as [nearly] adequate as is economically feasible to maintain the minimum standards 
32 
of living necessary for the GOOD health, efficiency, FULFILLMENT and 
33 
general well-being of the employees AND THEIR FAMILY within the 
34 
framework of the national economic and social development program. In the 
35 
determination of such GENERAL minimum wage, THE COMMISSION shall, 
36 
among other relevant factors, consider the following: 
 
37 
(a) The demand for [living wages] A FAMILY WAGE; 


1 
(b) [Wage adjustment vis-à-vis the consumer price index] THE NEED TO SAVE 
2 
A SMALL MARGIN OF INCOME FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND 
3 
EMERGENCIES; 
4 
(c) [The cost of living and changes or increases therein] WAGE ADJUSTMENT 
5 
VIS-À-VIS THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX; 
6 
(d) COST OF LIVING AND CHANGES OR INCREASES THEREIN; 
7 
(e) The need to [induce industries to invest] ENCOURAGE WORKERS TO 
8 
WORK WITH EFFICIENCY AND EXCELLENCE; 
9 
(f) Improvements in standards of living; 
10 
(g)The prevailing wage levels;] 
11 
(h) Fair return of the capital invested and capacity to pay of employers; 
12 
(i) Effects on employment generation and family income; and 
13 
(j) The equitable distribution of income and wealth along the imperatives of 
14 
economic and social development. 
 
15 
[The wages prescribed in accordance with the provisions of this Title shall be the 
16 
standard prevailing minimum wages in every region. These wages shall include 
17 
wages varying with industries, provinces or localities if in the judgment of the 
18 
Regional Board, conditions make such local differentiation proper and necessary to 
19 
effectuate the purpose of this Title.] 
 
20 
Any person, company, corporation,  partnership or any other entity engaged in 
21 
business shall file and register annually with the [appropriate Regional Board] 
22 
Commission and the [National Statistics Office] PHILIPPINE STATISTICS 
23 
AUTHORITY, an itemized listing of their labor component, specifying the names 
24 
of their workers and employees below the managerial level, including learners, 
25 
apprentices and disabled/handicapped workers who were hired under the terms 
26 
prescribed in the employment contracts, and their corresponding salaries and 
27 
wages. 
 
28 
Where the application of any prescribed wage increases by virtue of a law or wage 
29 
order issued by [any Regional Board] THE COMMISSION results in distortions 
30 
of the wage structure within an establishment, the employer and the union shall 
31 
negotiate to correct the distortions. Any dispute arising from wage distortions shall 
32 
be resolved through the grievance procedure under their collective bargaining 
33 
agreement and, if it remains unresolved, through voluntary arbitration. Unless 
34 
otherwise agreed by the parties in writing, such dispute shall be decided by the 
35 
voluntary arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days from the time said dispute was 
36 
referred to voluntary arbitration. 
 
37 
xxx” 
 
38 
SEC. 8. Amount of the General Minimum Wage. – Upon effectivity of this Act, the 
39 
Commission shall issue a wage order, which will be effective fifteen (15) days after its publicat ion 
40 
in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, regarding the adjustment of the minimum wage to 
41 
reflect that of the current real minimum wage for the National Capital Region (NCR.) Thereafter, 


1 
the COMMISSION shall issue wage orders with respect to the adjustment of the amount of the 
2 
general minimum wage every three (3) years. Provided, That subsequent adjustments of the 
3 
general minimum wage shall not be lower the amount prescribed by the Commission in the init ia l 
4 
wage order it will issue upon the effectivity of this Act. 
5 
6 
No part of this Act shall be construed as to prejudice other wage increases through 
7 
collective bargaining. 
8 
9 
SEC. 9. Prohibitions on Layoffs and Downsizing. – Any private company, corporation, 
10 
partnership, or any other private entity engaged in business that will resort to laying-off workers 
11 
or downsizing as a response to the payment of wage increases arising from the establishment of 
12 
the general minimum wage shall be held in violation of the law and be penalized accordingly. 
13 
14 
SEC. 10. Penalties. – Section 12 of Republic Act No. 6727, as amended by Republic Act 
15 
No. 8188 is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
16 
17 
“Section 12. Any person, corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association, or entity 
18 
which refuses or fails to pay their workers the national minimum wage set herein 
19 
and any of the succeeding legislated wage increases or adjustments with this Act 
20 
shall be punished by a fine of not less than [Twenty-five thousand pesos 
21 
(P25,000.00)] 
ONE HUNDRED AND 
FIFTY THOUSAND 
PESOS 
22 
(P150,000.00) nor more than [One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)] 
23 
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00) and imprisonment of 
24 
not less than two (2) years nor more than four (4) years[, or both such fine and 
25 
imprisonment at the discretion of the court]. Provided, That any person convicted 
26 
under this Act shall not be entitled to the benefits provided under the Probation 
27 
Law. 
28 
29 
The employer concerned shall be ordered to pay an amount equivalent to double 
30 
the unpaid benefits owing to the employees: Provided, That payment of indemnit y 
31 
shall not absolve the employer from the criminal liability imposable under this Act. 
32 
33 
FURTHERMORE, THE BUSINESS PERMIT OF   THE VIOLATING 
34 
ENTITY SHALL BE SUSPENDED FOR A PERIOD OF SIX (6) MONTHS 
35 
FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE; ONE (1) YEAR FOR THE SECOND 
36 
OFFENSE; AND THE REVOCATION OF THE OFFENDER’S BUSINESS 
37 
PERMIT ON THE THIRD AND FINAL OFFENSE. 
38 
39 
xxx” 
40 
 
41 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders or parts thereof 
42 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
43 
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
44 
unconstitutional, the other parts not otherwise affected shall remain in full effect and force. 


1 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
2 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general publication. 
 
Approved,