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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIII, Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the State to 
guarantee the rights of workers to a living wage and humane conditions of work. 
However, the prevailing minimum wage rates in most regions of the country remain 
far below what is necessary for a dignified standard of living. 
Current wage-setting mechanisms rely on generalized economic indicators 
without ensuring that the minimum wage meets the actual cost of living of workers and 
their families. As a result, many wage earners struggle to afford basic needs such as 
food, housing, education, and healthcare, perpetuating poverty and inequality across 
regions. 
This proposed measure seeks to amend Article 124 of the Labor Code by 
mandating that regional minimum wages must meet living wage standards. 
Specifically, it requires that wage levels ensure the nourishment, clothing, shelter, and 
education of workers and their families—shifting the basis of wage determination 
toward real and region-specific living costs. 
By anchoring wage-setting mechanisms to the actual needs of families and 
reinforcing the accountability of employers through reporting requirements, this bill 
promotes economic justice and aligns national labor policy with constitutional 
principles and international labor standards. 
The passage of this measure is a critical step toward ensuring that all Filipino 
workers are compensated fairly and allowed to live with dignity. 
EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
August 28, 2025
1:47 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE STANDARDS FOR A LIVING WAGE, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE ARTICLE 124 OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, AS AMENDED, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Living Wage Act.” 
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SEC. 2. Article 124 of the Labor Code is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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“ART. 124. Standards/Criteria for minimum wage fixing. – The regional 
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minimum wages to be established by the Regional Board shall [be as 
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nearly adequate as is economically feasible to maintain the minimum 
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standards of living necessary for the health, efficiency and general well-
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being of the employees within the framework of the national economic 
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and social development program.] MEET THE LIVING WAGE 
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STANDARDS IN THE REGION, WHICH SHALL ENSURE THE 
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NOURISHMENT, CLOTHING, SHELTER, EDUCATION, HEALTH, 
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AND GENERAL WELL-BEING OF EMPLOYEES AND THEIR 
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FAMILIES. In the determination of such regional minimum wages, the 
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Regional Board shall, among other relevant factors, consider the 
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following: 
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(a) The [demand for living wages] ESTIMATED COST OF LIVING FOR
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A DETERMINED SIZE OF A FAMILY IN THE REGION;
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(b) Wage adjustment vis-a-vis the consumer price index;
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(c) The cost of living and changes or increases therein;
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[(d)] (C) The needs of workers and their families; 
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[(e)] (D) The need to induce industries to invest in the countryside; 
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[(f)] (E) Improvements in standards of living; 
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[(g)] (F) The prevailing wage levels; 
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[(h)] (G) [Fair return of the capital invested and c] Capacity to pay of 
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employers; AND 
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(i) Effects on employment generation-and family income; and 
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[(j)] (H) The equitable distribution of income and wealth along the 
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imperatives of economic and social development. 
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 x x x” 
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SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from 
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the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Labor and Employment, in consultation with 
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the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council and other relevant stakeholders, shall issue the 
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necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
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Failure of the relevant government agencies to promulgate the IRR within the 
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specified period shall subject the heads of these government agencies to 
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administrative penalties under applicable civil service laws. 
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Should the IRR contain provisions that are contrary to this Act, the heads of the 
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government agencies responsible for such provision, when done in bad faith or with 
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gross negligence, shall be held administratively liable. 
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SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid 
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or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and 
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effect. 
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SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. – All laws. Executive Orders, Presidential Decrees, 
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rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are deemed modified and repealed 
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accordingly. All affected provisions of existing laws are deemed effective until such 
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promulgation of the IRR. 
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SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon 
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its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
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general circulation, whichever comes first. 
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Approved,   
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