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Labor sector hits TRO vs P85 wage hike: ‘Very historic’

Members of pro-labor groups have condemned a Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the P85 minimum wage hike for Metro Manila workers, saying that such only proves that the increase is ‘historic.’

In a statement on Thursday night, Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando said that Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino is correct that the P85 daily wage hike is historic in the sense that it is a massive disservice to the people.

Reports showed that the Pasig City RTC Branch 152 issued the TRO on Thursday, suspending the implementation of the P85 minimum wage hike until Aug. 13 following a petition filed by two construction companies. Petitioners Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc. said they are questioning the increase based on concerns about employers’ capacity to pay workers.

‘Dole (Department of Labor and Employment) Secretary Francis Tolentino is correct, what is happening now is historic – historic shamelessness in terms of disregarding the Filipino people,’ San Fernando said.

‘After bragging about the P85 wage increase in NCR (National Capital Region), a TRO from the Pasig RTC waives its effect. This is just a meager amount, paid in two-gives, and now they are suspending whatever little assistance that could have helped workers,’ he added.

According to San Fernando, the TRO is violative of the Labor Code of the Philippines as Article 126 states that no TRO can be issued by any court ‘against any proceedings before the Commission or the Regional Boards.’

‘This TRO goes against the law and the Labor Code […] Aside from Article 126, Article 123 of the Labor Code stated that any appeal regarding the wage order should go through the National Wages and Productivity Commission of Dole,’ he said.

‘This means that the Pasig RTC has no jurisdiction on any wage increase discussions. This is clearly encroachment by the judiciary on the quasi-legislative function of Dole,’ he added.

San Fernando also called out Tolentino for seemingly following the RTC and not challenging it.

‘What’s concerning is that instead of standing up to defend labor laws, Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino seems to be in a rush to follow the illegal and baseless TRO of the Pasig RTC. When it favors businesses, you are quick but when it’s for workers, you find excuses?’ he asked.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) also said that they condemn the RTC decision to issue a TRO, as it would ‘deprive Metro Manila workers of the long-overdue’ wage hikes and as a result, ‘force workers to wait even longer for relief that is already grossly inadequate in the face of soaring prices of food, transportation, electricity, housing, and other basic necessities.’

‘This is the height of corporate greed, desperation, and utter indifference to the daily suffering of Filipino workers. It is disgusting that instead of providing this small wage increase, it will be paid in installments and was brought to court,’ TUCP said.

TUCP also noted that the petition from the construction companies not only attacks the wage hike, but the system of providing wage increases itself, as it disregards Republic Act No. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act.

‘This is not simply an objection to a wage order. This is an attempt to destroy the integrity of tripartism itself. Employers actively participated in every stage of the wage board proceedings. They were heard. They presented evidence. They voted. They lost,’ TUCP said.

‘Now that they failed to convince the Wage Board, they seek to achieve in court what they could not obtain through the very legal process established by Congress. They should not use the court as a second round after failing in the wage board because they lost during the voting process,’ it added.

TUCP and San Fernando were part of the group that called out the administration after Tolentino announced on June 30 that they approved an P85 minimum wage hike for Metro Manila workers only, which will be paid in two tranches.

Tolentino’s announcement came during a hearing at the House of Representatives’ committee on labor and employment – prompting labor leaders to question the government’s decision to provide a wage hike in two tranches.

Rene Magtubo of the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition asked whether they should pay for utilities and goods on an installment basis too.

For Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) president Luke Espiritu, Tolentino’s announcement is only a way to ‘frustrate’ the effort of labor groups to push for legislated wage hikes.

During the 19th Congress, lawmakers came close to submitting a final version of a legislated wage hike, as the House approved last June 2025 House Bill No. 11376 or the proposed Wage Hike for Minimum Wage Workers Act on third reading, while the Senate approved Senate Bill No. 2534 in February 2024.

However, the House’s version seeks a P200 per day hike in the minimum wage, while the Senate bill pushed for a P100 per day increase.

Due to the differences between the bills, a bicameral conference committee should have been convened so that both chambers can come up with a final version. This final version of the bill, contained in a bicameral conference committee report, should be ratified by the House and the Senate separately during a plenary session, before it is forwarded to the President for his consideration.

However, in the last week of the 19th Congress’ session, there were reports that the House and the Senate were in a deadlock. Eventually, the 19th Congress adjourned its session without both the Senate and the House ratifying a final version of the wage hike bill

DOLE to employers: Don’t revoke pay issued before wage hike suspension

The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Friday said workers who have already received their salaries prior to the suspension of the wage hike remain entitled to the full amount that they were given.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino made the clarification in an ambush interview with reporters, a day after a Pasig City court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the implementation of the P85 wage hike in Metro Manila following a petition from two construction companies.

When asked what would happen to employers who have already released salaries with the corresponding wage hike, Tolentino said ‘workers have their vested rights. So, it should not be returned.’

‘Especially today, which is payday. So, it should not be returned because at the time it was prepared and at the time it was received, the National Wages and Productivity Commission had not yet issued an order of suspension,’ he explained.

On July 30, the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 152 issued a TRO on the implementation of NCR Wage Order No. 27 that mandated the P85 daily minimum wage increase in the National Capital Region, which will remain effective until Aug. 13.

The court had granted the petition filed by presidents of Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc., who sought to halt the implementation of the wage hike while their request for a declaratory relief remains pending.

A declaratory relief is a special civil action filed by a person affected by a government regulation, with the goal of seeking an authoritative statement defining his or her rights and obligations under the given statute, order or ordinance.

A hearing on the case has been scheduled on Aug. 3.

In their petition, the heads of the two companies argued that the wage order was determined ‘without adequate regard to compounding economic conditions,’ including the recent oil price hikes that resulted from the conflict in the Middle East.

Because of current economic conditions, both companies said it has suffered from various challenges such as ‘measurable operating losses,’ ‘diminished margins,’ ‘elevated input costs,’ ‘subdued consumer demand’ and ‘tightened credit conditions.’

They said the wage order will further heighten their companies’ expenses, noting that their labor costs have already been increasing even before the implementation of the wage hike

SB19 perform hits, new tracks in historic Lollapalooza debut

P-pop Kings for a reason.

Local boy band SB19 made history as the first homegrown Filipino act to perform at the popular Chicago music festival Lollapalooza.

The P-pop act performed on Lollapalooza’s Allianz stage – formerly called Lakeshore and one of the festival’s biggest stages – for an hour-long set highlighted by the group’s hit tracks.

It was past 3 p.m. local time when SB19 when onstage, so Filipinos watching via livestream and watch parties were up in the early morning of July 31.

2027: With God on our side, victory is certain – Turaki-led PDP

The Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Dr Tanimu Turaki, has said that it is certain that God will deliver victory to it through a favourable judicial pronouncement in the festering leadership crisis in the party.

The faction confirmed on Friday that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) denied it access codes to upload the names of candidates for the 2027 polls, but said it had gone ahead to submit the names of the candidates manually because it was banking on God for victory.

It also said it had appealed the latest judgement of an Abuja Federal High Court (FHC), which denied the faction recognition and is now awaiting the intervention of the Court of Appeal.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, berated the current leadership of INEC under Professor Joash Amupitan over alleged ‘impartiality’ by taking decisions in favour of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP chaired by Honourable Abdulrahman Mohammed while there were pending appeals in court.

The camp also accused INEC of pandering to the desires of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate the opposition, adding that the commission’s alleged impartiality in the PDP’s leadership crisis was tailored to achieve the aims of the APC.

Ememobong stated, ‘The present leadership of INEC must therefore appreciate that public confidence is the foundation upon which electoral legitimacy rests. When citizens lose confidence in the impartiality of the electoral umpire, elections inevitably lose credibility. It is on record that this chairman is the most disparaged before an election- up to the point where his most popular photo on social media is that with a cap bearing the insignia of the President.

‘While this photo may be AI-generated, the popularity of its use indicates the wide acceptability of his clear partisanship.

‘It is against this background that we convened this press conference.

Any responsible electoral management body confronted with conflicting judicial pronouncements and a pending appeal before the Court of Appeal would exercise restraint pending the final determination of the issues. Such caution would protect both the integrity of the electoral process and the rights of all parties.’

The INWC advised INEC against publishing PDP candidates’ names other than those it submitted to the Commission, describing itself as the ‘authentic’ PDP.

*We sincerely hope that INEC, under the leadership of Professor Joash Amupitan, will adopt this prudent course. If, however, the Commission proceeds to publish the names of persons other than those validly sponsored by the authentic leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, it will only deepen public concerns regarding its neutrality and strengthen the perception that it is lending institutional support to individuals whose primary objective is to weaken the opposition from within,’ the camp said.

It said in compliance with the Electoral Act, it had submitted the names of candidates for all elective positions to INEC manually in spite of the fact that the commission denied the INWC access codes.

Among the names submitted were former President Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential candidate, National Assembly candidates, governorship candidates and State Houses of Assembly candidates.

The INWC further stated, ‘Accordingly, we are pleased to announce that notwithstanding INEC’s refusal to provide us with the necessary access codes- which is an administrative convenience rather than a legal requirement- we have successfully submitted, manually and in full compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the list of candidates sponsored by the authentic Peoples Democratic Party.

‘That submission, containing the names of our Presidential Candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, as well as all Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates, receipt of which was duly acknowledged by INEC.’

The faction vowed to continue to fight to the end, using the judicial process, despite being aware of the forces against its search for victory.

‘As part of the electoral timetable, INEC will soon publish the names of candidates sponsored by political parties. Should the Commission publish names other than those lawfully submitted by us, we urge our members, supporters and the teeming Nigerians who eagerly await the candidature of President Jonathan and our other candidates not to despair.

‘We are exhausting every constitutional, legal and democratic avenue to ensure that our party is not hijacked or annexed to the ruling party,’ it added.

The camp expressed the belief that God would eventually hand it victory.

‘With God on our side, victory is certain, even if it is delayed. There may be obstacles. There may be frustrations. But the triumph of evil over good, darkness over light, and compromise over principle can only be ephemeral’, it said.

The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led NWC, which is recognised by INEC, has since uploaded the names of candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections to the commission’s portal, and it’s already uploading candidates for the governorship and House of Assembly polls.

PNP to work with DepEd, LGUs on securing remote public schools

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will work with the Department of Education (DepEd) and local government units (LGUs) to secure schools in remote areas.

‘Access to education must be matched by access to safety,’ PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement on Friday.

‘The PNP will continue working with DepEd, LGUs, and community stakeholders to protect schools, secure education personnel, and promptly address security concerns in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,’ he stressed.

This came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12321 or the Last Mile and Gida (geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas) Schools Act last July 22.

The law institutionalizes government support for public basic education schools in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

‘Education should never be limited by distance or security concerns,’ Nartatez said.

‘The PNP will continue to do its part to keep schools and communities safe so that teachers can fulfill their mission and students can focus on learning with confidence,’ he added.

Villabrille-Padiz pair advances

Julius Villabrille and Solomon Padiz Jr. booked a place in the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles after pulling off a thrilling 21-23, 21-19, 21-16 comeback victory over Thailand’s Neauadang Mangkornloi and Andrew Newman in the Philippine International Challenge 2026, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, yesterday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong.

The World Championships-bound tandem showcased its composure against the young Thai pair, overcoming a first-set collapse in their Round of 16 clash of the tournament backed by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT, Yonex, Sunrise, Maynilad, Cignal, MWell, Jollibee, Milksha, and Telescoop.

Mangkornloi and Newman carried their momentum into the second set and threatened to seize control of the match, but Villabrille and Padiz stayed composed to force a decider before completing the comeback in just under 58 minutes.

‘Actually, nung first set nabigla rin kami kasi lamang kami eh, pero biglang nabaligtad ‘yung game; sila ‘yung unang nanalo. Kaya nung second set at third set iniba talaga namin ‘yung game play namin. Kailangan focused, kailangang 100 percent na dapat ganito ‘yung tira namin, ‘yung gagawin namin,’ Padiz shared.

Villabrille and Padiz are no strangers to success on the international stage, having won the Petronas International Challenge in Malaysia two years ago. This time, however, the National University standouts hope to capitalize on the energy of the home crowd in the tournament, which features athletes from 28 countries and is supported by the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee.

Hernandez, Sarines relentless

Jet Hernandez and young Lisa Sarines stayed hot and unrelenting yesterday, opening up huge leads in their respective divisions in the NGAP’s National Strokeplay Championship at the Pradera Verde in Lubao, Pampanga.

The 21-year-old Hernandez gunned down 10 birdies in submitting a second straight seven-under-par 65 to now lead Rolando Bregente by a whopping 12 shots at the halfway mark of the men’s division, while the 14-year-old Sarines matched par in a trying day at the Pinatubo layout for a 142 and a seven-shot lead over Tashanah Balangauan.

With the weather clearing somewhat, men’s scoring was a little lower compared to the first round, but Hernandez did not in any way cool off as he opened birdie-birdie and finished the same way for another effort no one in the field even came close to matching.

Hernandez said he will come out for the next two days with the same mindset as he did in Day 1.

‘There are still two rounds to be played,’ the psychology senior at University of Denver said. ‘I will have the same mindset, the same goals and will stay in the present and stay calm.’

Chris Remata, also a member of the national men’s pool like Hernandez and Bregente, fired a 72, and Jed Dy returned a 71 to be a stroke behind Bregente and well within range of a podium finish even as Vito Sarines, the 13-year-old who started the day in second spot seven shots behind, skied to a 78 to now be 20 strokes off the pace.

Also in the mix for a top three finish are Paolo Barro and Emilio Hernandez, who fired a 74 and 75.

MAPOLY unveils 10Gbps smart campus fibre infrastructure to enhance digital learning

The Ogun State-owned institution, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, on Thursday unveiled a 10Gbps smart fibre infrastructure as part of efforts to enhance digital learning, research and innovation.

The Rector of the institution, Architect Dr Babatunde Jolaoso, described the infrastructure as a landmark achievement in innovation, technological advancement and technical education.

He explained that adequate safeguards had been integrated into the system to prevent misuse.

Jolaoso said, ‘This facility places us more prominently on the global stage than ever before. Its impact will extend beyond the institution to contribute meaningfully to national and global development.

‘All these facilities are built in to check the antics of negative users. The objective is to ensure that the facility remains a platform for development and progress.’

The Director of the institution’s Advanced Technological Innovation and Research Centre, Mr Balogun Khalil, explained that the 10Gbps internet infrastructure would support artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, research, incubation and digital learning.

He noted that Nigeria’s technical education sector faced infrastructure deficits despite the country’s abundance of talent.

Khalil added that fibre last-mile connectivity had been extended to MAPOLY classrooms to provide reliable, high-speed internet access.

The Olowu of Owu, Oba Professor Saka Matemilola, who chaired the occasion, commended the MAPOLY management, describing the project as a strategic investment in technology-driven education.

Matemilola said the infrastructure would provide students with practical technological experience and opportunities to develop innovative solutions to societal challenges.

The traditional ruler explained that the infrastructure would strengthen research by providing the digital backbone required for world-class academic work.

Oba Matemilola said: ‘It will strengthen research by providing the digital backbone required for world-class academic work.

‘Inadequate digital infrastructure has limited many Nigerian tertiary institutions in research, innovation and global competitiveness.

‘I believe that the smart campus project will bridge the gap through high-speed connectivity, technology transfer and stronger academia-industry collaboration.’

Matemilola urged stakeholders to ensure the proper maintenance and effective utilisation of the facility to maximise its benefits.

The Senator representing Ogun Central, Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, also described the project as a major milestone in Nigeria’s drive towards technology-enabled education.

The lawmaker, who is an information and communications technology expert, said MAPOLY had evolved into a globally recognised institution for technological, scientific and entrepreneurial education.

The senator disclosed that he had sponsored more than 2,000 youths to receive training in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital content creation, while also providing beneficiaries with laptops.

‘While its full impact may not be immediate, it will deliver long-term benefits for future generations and national development,’ Salisu said.

No legal basis for LGU traffic enforcers to confiscate driver’s licenses – LTO

There are no existing laws that allow traffic enforcers from local government units to confiscate drivers’ licenses, according to the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The agency said local enforcers are only authorized to issue citation tickets to traffic violators.

The clarification came after the LGU of Bacoor, Cavite, posted on social media on Wednesday, July 29, that its traffic enforcers are authorized to confiscate drivers’ licenses from violators within the city under a local ordinance.

‘The recent Supreme Court ruling applies only to Metro Manila LGUs under the MMDA. Bacoor, being outside Metro Manila, continues to exercise its authority under the Local Government Code and its duly enacted ordinances,’ the LGU’s statement read.

The LTO countered this, saying that existing Supreme Court jurisprudence does not grant traffic enforcement officers the general authority to confiscate motorists’ licenses.

It also clarified that it is currently implementing Department of Transportation Memorandum Circular No. 001-2026, which provides for a “no-confiscation” policy on drivers’ licenses during apprehensions.

‘Bilang pagsunod sa kautusan, pansamantalang hindi kinukumpiska ng mga law enforcement officers na may deputasyon mula sa LTO ang driver’s license ng mga motoristang lumalabag sa batas-trapiko,’ LTO’s statement read.

(In compliance with the order, LTO-deputized law enforcement officers are temporarily refraining from confiscating the driver’s licenses of motorists violating traffic laws.)

Under the guidelines, instead of confiscation, traffic violations are digitally recorded, and motorists are given 15 days to settle fines before facing license suspension.

The LTO urged LGUs, traffic enforcement agencies, and motorists to comply with existing laws and regulations to ensure the fair implementation of traffic laws across the country.

Amstel Malta rallies support for Super Falcons after Malawi loss

Amstel Malta has urged Nigerians to stay behind the Super Falcons after a 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, a result that has complicated the defending champions’ route to the knockout stage.

The brand, which sponsors the Senior Women’s National Team, said the team’s response to the setback would define their tournament, ahead of a decisive Group C fixture against Zambia at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat on 1 August.

Amstel Malta Senior Brand Manager Francis Obiajulu said the Malawi result did not change the brand’s position. ‘Our message to the Super Falcons is simple: keep believing. Champions are not remembered because they never lost; they are remembered because of how they responded after setbacks,’ Obiajulu said. ‘This is the moment for the players and the fans to stay united. We encourage Nigerians to keep supporting the Super Falcons because tournaments are not won after the first game.’

Obiajulu pointed to the Super Falcons’ own history of recovering from early setbacks, citing their group-stage loss to Ghana at the 2002 African Women’s Championship, after which they beat the same opponents 2-0 in the final to retain the title. He also referenced Nigeria’s Super Eagles reaching the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations final after a 5-1 opening loss to hosts Algeria, along with Spain’s 2010 World Cup win after an opening defeat to Switzerland and Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph following a loss to Saudi Arabia.

‘Our support has not changed,’ Obiajulu said. ‘We started this journey believing in the Super Falcons, and one result will not change that. We know this team has what it takes to rise again, and we look forward to seeing them bounce back against Zambia.’

The Super Falcons need a positive result against Zambia to strengthen their bid for a record-extending 11th continental title.