Gas Firm to Continue Wage Hike Despite Court Freeze

MANILA, Philippines — A court froze Metro Manila's latest minimum-wage increase, but Republic Gas Corp. will keep paying its workers the P60-a-day raise anyway. Regasco President Arnel Ty, a former lawmaker, announced Wednesday, August 5, that the Manila-based gas company would voluntarily preserve the first tranche of the suspended P85 wage increase. "Regasco remains fully committed to supporting our employees. Proceeding with the wage increase is the right thing to do for our workforce and their families," Ty said. The P60 first tranche took effect July 25, with the remaining P25 scheduled for Jan. 20, 2027. The full increase would bring daily minimum wages to P780 for nonagricultural workers and P743 for agricultural workers and employees of covered small establishments. Its implementation was halted after the Pasig Regional Trial Court issued a status quo ante order and a 20-day temporary restraining order upon the request of Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc. Regasco's decision preserves the increase for its own workers but does not affect the court-ordered suspension covering other employers. The legal fight has drawn labor groups, unions and workers' parties, which have asked the court to lift the suspension. A resolution urging the same has also been filed in the Senate. They cited Article 126 of the Labor Code, which states that "no preliminary or permanent injunction or temporary restraining order may be issued by any court, tribunal or other entity against any proceedings before the Commission or the Regional Boards."