CAR, ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA WAGE HIKES

Minimum wage workers in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the Zamboanga Peninsula are set to receive higher wages, following new wage orders that will take effect in December and January next year. Beginning 30 December 2025, the minimum wage in CAR will increase to P505 under Wage Order No. CAR‑24, while Wage Order No. CAR‑DW‑07 raises the monthly minimum pay for kasambahays to P6,600 across the region. In the Zamboanga Peninsula, new wage rates will take effect on 01 January 2026 under Wage Order No. RIX‑24. Non‑agricultural establishments, including retail and service businesses with 10 or more workers, will adopt a minimum wage of P439. In comparison, agricultural establishments and smaller retail/service firms with 1–9 workers will adopt a minimum wage of P426. A second‑stage adjustment is scheduled for 01 June 2026, increasing the regional minimum wages to P464 for non‑agricultural establishments and P451 for agricultural and small retail/service establishments. The new wage orders fulfill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 2025 State of the Nation Address directive to review regional minimum wages 60 days before their anniversary, helping lessen uncertainty and strengthen the link between productivity and compensation.