Wage Order No. RB XI-23

THE NEW minimum wage for agriculture and non-agriculture in Davao Region will take effect beginning March 13, 2026.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) XI regional director Randolf Pensoy announced on March 2 that the first tranche (on Mar 13) of Wage Order No. RB XI-24 for non-agriculture will increase the amount from P510 to P525, while agriculture will go from P505 to 515.

The second tranche, which is the full implementation of the new wage order and will be effective on Sept 1, 2026, raises to P540 (non-agriculture) and P525 (agriculture).

Last Feb 13, DOLE XI and the National Wages and Productivity Commission, under RTWPB XI, conducted a public hearing on minimum wage determination (onsite and virtual) at the Grand Hotel.

Representatives from the labor management sectors shared their concerns as well as possible adjustments to the current minimum wage (Wage Order No. RB XI-23).

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Production Board XI is mandated under RA No. 6727, also known as the Wage Rationalization Act, to periodically assess wage rates and conduct ongoing studies to determine the minimum wage applicable in the region or industries.

THE REGIONAL Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) XI successfully conducted the Public Hearing on Minimum Wage Determination for Private Sector Workers and Domestic Workers in the Davao Region on Feb. 16, 2026, at Davao City. Simultaneously, the public hearing was held virtually via Zoom.

The public hearing proper was moderated by RTWPB XI chairperson and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) XI regional director, Atty. Randolf Pensoy and was hosted by RTWPB-XI Attorney IV, Atty. Sharon Grace Sanoy.

Pensoy opened the public hearing by stating the context of why a public hearing was held. Atty. Pensoy stated that the Regional Board, acting under Rule II, Section 3A of NWPC Guidelines No. 3, Series of 2020, or the Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination, initiated another round of minimum wage determination motu proprio. The latest wage orders issued by the Board were Wage Order Nos. RB-XI-23 for domestic workers, which took effect on March 7, 2025, and RB-XI-DW-03, which took effect on March 6, 2024.

Under Wage Order No. RB XI-23, the current minimum wage in the Davao Region for the Non-Agriculture Sector is ₱510.00, and for the Agriculture Sector, ₱505.00. On the other hand, under Wage Order No. RB XI-DW-03, the minimum wage for domestic workers in the Davao Region for chartered cities and first-class municipalities is ₱6,000.00, and for other municipalities, ₱5,000.00.

Various representatives from the labor and management sectors were able to share their positions regarding the current minimum wage in the Davao Region and the possibility of adjustments to it.

What happens next? Rule IV, Section 1 of the Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination stipulates that within thirty (30) days from the date of the last wage hearing, the Board must resolve the merits of the petitions for wage increase or determine whether a Wage Order should be issued. Where appropriate, the Board shall issue a Wage Order establishing the new minimum wage rate, which shall in no case be lower than the prevailing minimum wage rate in the region.

New minimum wage implementation starts on March 13

RTWPB-XI holds public hearing on minimum wage determination