MANILA, Philippines — Labor coalition Unity for Wage Increase Now (UWIN) staged a protest in front of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), denouncing what it called an “insulting and meager” P50 minimum wage increase recently approved for Metro Manila workers.

The protest comes after the Regional Wage Board (RWB) issued its latest wage order for the National Capital Region on July 1, 2025. Far from being appeased, UWIN blasted the adjustment as “a blatant denial of workers’ fundamental right to a just and living wage,” citing the deepening economic crisis and rising costs of basic goods.

“The P50 increase is not only grossly insufficient—it is a deliberate rejection of workers’ basic right to survive with dignity,” said UWIN spokesperson Charlie Arevalo. “This clearly shows that the Marcos Jr. administration prioritizes the interests of a privileged few—the business elite and bureaucrats—over the welfare of millions of struggling workers.”

The group pointed out that after the proposed P200 wage hike was junked in Congress, the RWB once again became a “tool for wage suppression,” enabled by Republic Act 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act, which labor advocates have long criticized for perpetuating wage inequality across regions.

According to UWIN, research by IBON Foundation shows that implementing a P1,200 daily living wage is not economically impossible. They cited figures showing that large enterprises would only need to allocate 36.4 percent of their profits to make this possible, while the cost would be 29.7 percent for medium-sized firms, 42.2 percent for small businesses, and 48.1 percent for micro enterprises.

“The myth that companies would go bankrupt is simply not backed by the data,” Arevalo added.

UWIN also pushed back against common claims that wage hikes fuel inflation. They argued that spiraling prices of food, fuel, and transportation long preceded the P50 increase and were driven more by weak government regulation than worker pay.

The group reiterated its demands for a national minimum wage to replace what it described as the “exploitative and fragmented” regional wage system. It also called for the immediate rollback of prices of basic goods and public services.

As the wage hike awaits implementation, workers say they will continue protesting what they see as crumbs thrown their way—while corporations and policymakers remain comfortably insulated from the everyday grind.