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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
First Regular Session 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
                  House Bill No. 3967
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Introduced by REP. JESUS MANUEL “BONG” C. SUNTAY 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The Constitution declares that the State shall afford full protection to labor, local and 
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overseas, organized and unorganized, and shall guarantee the workers’ right to a living 
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wage. Yet the reality of rising prices has eroded the dignity of work and widened 
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inequality. 
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This measure raises the statutory minimum daily wage by Two Hundred Fifty Pesos 
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(₱250) nationwide. It affirms that wages must be sufficient not only for survival but for 
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decent living. The bill also strengthens inspection, establishes penalties for non-
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compliance, and corrects wage distortions. 
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By enacting this increase, we affirm that the Filipino worker is not a cost to be minimized, 
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but the very foundation of our nation’s prosperity. 
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In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
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REP. JESUS MANUEL “BONG” C. SUNTAY 
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August 26, 2025
8:00 am


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
First Regular Session 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
                  House Bill No. 3967
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Introduced by REP. JESUS MANUEL “BONG” C. SUNTAY 
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AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A TWO HUNDRED FIFTY PESOS ACROSS 
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THE BOARD INCREASE IN THE DAILY MINIMUM WAGE OF 
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EMPLOYEES AND WORKERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the P250 Daily Minimum Wage 
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Increase Act of 2025”. 
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is a policy of the State to alleviate the 
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living conditions of the ordinary Filipino through policies that provide for a decent 
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and humane standard of living and improved quality of life, particularly of the 
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working class by ensuring the right of labor to its just share in the fruits of 
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production, to guarantee the workers’ right to a living wage, and to promote social 
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justice through the adoption of measures calculated to ensure the well-being and 
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economic security of all the members of the community. 
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Sec. 3. Wage Increase. – The daily rate of all minimum wage workers in 
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the private sector, regardless of employment status, including those in contractual 
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and subcontractual arrangements, whether agricultural or non- agricultural, shall be 
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increased by Two hundred Fifty Pesos (P250.00) upon the effectivity of this Act. 
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Nothing in this Act shall prevent the respective Regional Tripartite Wages and 
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Productivity Boards to grant additional increases to the workers and employees 
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on the basis of their determination 
pursuant 
to 
Republic 
Act 
No. 
6727, 
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otherwise known as the “Wage Rationalization Act”, as amended. 
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Sec. 4. Correction of Wage Distortion. – Where a wage distortion occurs as a 
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result of the increase in minimum wage under this Act, the employer and the union, 
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or the employer and the workers, in the absence of a union, shall negotiate to correct 
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the distortion in accordance with the provisions of Article 124 of Presidential Decree 
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No. 442 or the “Labor Code of the Philippines”, as amended, and other existing laws, 
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rules and regulations. 
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Sec. 5. Non-Chargeability of Prior Increases. – No wage increase shall be 
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credited as compliance with the increase prescribed herein unless expressly provided 
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under valid collective bargaining agreements: Provided, that such wage increase 
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was granted in anticipation of the minimum wage increase under this Act: Provided, 
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further, that where such increase is less than the prescribed increase under this 
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Act, the employer shall pay the difference. Such increases shall not include 
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anniversary wage increases, merit wage increases and those resulting from the 
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regularization or promotion of employees. 
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SEC. 6. Non-Diminution of Other Benefits. – Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
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to reduce any existing allowance and benefit of any form under existing laws, decrees, 
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issuances, executive orders, and any contract or agreement between workers and 
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employers. 
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SEC. 7. Inspection by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). – 
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The DOLE shall conduct inspection of payroll and other financial records kept by the 
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company or business to determine whether the workers are paid the prescribed 
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minimum wage increase and other benefits granted by law. The said inspection may 
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take place at any time of the day or night, whenever work is being undertaken. 
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In unionized companies, the DOLE inspectors shall always be accompanied by the 
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president or any responsible officer of the recognized bargaining unit or of interested 
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union in the conduct of the inspection. In non-unionized companies, establishments 
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or businesses, the inspection should be carried out in the presence of a workers’ 
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representative. 
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SEC. 
8. Penalties. – Any person, corporation, trust, firm, 
partnership, 
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association or entity violating any provision of this Act shall be punished by a fine 
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of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not more than One hundred 
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thousand pesos (P100,000.00) plus moral damages for each affected worker and the 
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costs of litigation including attorney’s fees, or imprisonment of not less than two (2) 
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years nor more than four (4) years, or both at the discretion of the court: Provided, 
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That if the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, association or any 
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other entity, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed upon the entity’s 
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responsible officers including, but not limited to, the president, vice president, 
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chief executive officer, general manager, managing director or partner. 
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The employer concerned shall be ordered to pay an amount equivalent to double 
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the unpaid benefits owing to the employees: Provided, That the payment of indemnity 
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shall not absolve the employer from the criminal liability imposable under this Act: 
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Provided, further, That any person convicted under this Act shall not be entitled to the 
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benefits provided for under the Probation Law. 
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In case a fine and/or indemnity is decreed by the National Labor Relations 
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Commission (NLRC) against person/s who violated the provisions of this Act and 
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cannot be immediately satisfied because of the refusal to pay, or in case of the 
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unavailability or inadequacy of funds, the bank deposits, financial interests and other 
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personal property not capable of manual delivery in the possession or control of third 
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parties of the owner in case of sole proprietorship or the assets of the corporation, 
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association or any other entity, shall be garnished. If such properties are not 
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enough, movable and immovable properties may be levied to fully satisfy the imposed 
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fines and/or indemnities. 
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Failure on the part of any corporation, trust or firm, partnership, association or 
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any other entity to comply with the provisions of this Act shall be a ground for non-
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renewal of business permits. 
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SEC. 9. Construction in Favor of Labor. – All doubts in the implementation and 
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interpretation of the provisions of this Act, including its implementing rules and 
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regulations, shall be resolved in favor of labor. 
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SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of Labor and 
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Employment shall promulgate the necessary 
rules 
and 
regulations 
for 
the 
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effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act 
is 
held 
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unconstitutional, the remainder thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force 
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and effect. 
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SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
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regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act 
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are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a 
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newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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