Minimum wage in the Philippines 2026: PHP 755 a day in Metro Manila

Each region sets its own minimum

Each Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, operating under the Department of Labor and Employment's NWPC, issues its own wage orders. That is why a search for the Philippine minimum wage turns up different numbers: the Manila figure is not what an employer in Davao or Cebu owes. In Metro Manila, Wage Order NCR-28 (issued September 7, 2026) sets PHP 755 a day for non-agriculture work and PHP 718 for agriculture, a PHP 60 rise over the PHP 695 that applied under NCR-26.

Outside the NCR, the NWPC summary dated October 6, 2026 lists recent orders such as Region IX-24 (from January 1, 2026), Region XI-24 (from March 13, 2026) and BARMM-05 (from August 6, 2026). Use the latest order for the region where the employee works, by sector and establishment size.

Other minimum wage rates in Philippines

Philippines minimum wage history

From PHP 755 a day to monthly pay

Rates are daily, for an 8-hour normal working day under the Labor Code, so the hourly floor in Manila is PHP 755 / 8 = PHP 94.38. Monthly pay depends on how many paid days the schedule has. Two common illustrations:

• 6-day week, 313 paid days: 755 x 313 / 12 = PHP 19,692.92 a month (about $313).
• 5-day week, 261 paid days: 755 x 261 / 12 = PHP 16,421.25 a month (about $261).

DOLE publishes an official days factor table for converting daily rates, and the right factor also depends on how rest days and regular holidays are paid. Treat these as estimates and check the factor that matches your schedule.

NCR-27, PHP 780 and the court case

Metro Manila employers face an unusual situation. Wage Order NCR-27, issued June 23, 2026 and effective July 25, 2026, set PHP 755 and then PHP 780 for non-agriculture workers (PHP 743 for agriculture) from January 20, 2027. It was challenged in two regional trial courts, Pasig Branch 152 and Navotas Branch 287, and the NWPC says its implementation awaits the courts. NCR-28 then set PHP 755 from September 26, 2026. Pay PHP 755 now and keep payroll ready to move to PHP 780 if NCR-27 survives.

Contributions and the 13th month on a minimum-wage salary

The employer's statutory share is SSS at 10% of the monthly salary credit (minimum credit PHP 5,000, maximum PHP 35,000), Employees' Compensation of PHP 10 or PHP 30 a month, PhilHealth at 2.5% of pay (half of the 5% premium in PhilHealth's 2025 schedule; we found no 2026 advisory, so this assumes it still applies) and Pag-IBIG at 2% of up to PHP 10,000, so PHP 200 at most. Across PHP 15,000 to PHP 35,000 a month this comes to 13.2% to 14.0% of pay, which covers both Manila illustrations above. On the 6-day example PhilHealth alone is 2.5% x 19,692.92 = PHP 492.32.

Then add the 13th month pay under Presidential Decree 851: at least one twelfth of the basic salary earned in the calendar year, due by December 24, for rank-and-file staff with at least a month of service. On PHP 19,692.92 a month that is PHP 19,692.92 a year, or PHP 1,641.08 a month to set aside. Holiday and leave rules are covered on the Philippines employer of record page, and typical pay on the Philippines average salary page.

Hiring a Filipino employee from the US

An employer of record lets a US company hire in the Philippines without a local entity. List prices for EOR service sit between $99 and $699 per person per month (checked October 2026). Here the fee can be bigger than the wage: Deel's $599 a month is close to double the roughly $313 monthly pay of a Manila minimum-wage worker on a 6-day week. EORs make the most sense for skilled roles paid well above the floor. Compare providers in our EOR rankings, see the employer cost index, or price a hire in the international cost calculator. Nearby comparisons: Malaysia and China.