Manila: Workers groups have asked the Supreme Court (SC) to look into the Pasig Regional Trial Court's (RTC) issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the P85 minimum daily wage hike order in Metro Manila.

According to Philippines News Agency, the groups addressed a letter to SC Judicial Integrity Office Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Tolentino, seeking a 'request for administrative evaluation of orders' issued by the RTC Branch 152. The order halted the wage increase for private sector workers, despite labor laws prohibiting courts from issuing injunctions against such matters.

The groups highlighted that the Labor Code explicitly states that 'no preliminary or permanent injunction or temporary restraining order may be issued by any court, tribunal or entity against any proceedings before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.' The law instead provides a mechanism for aggrieved parties to question a wage order through an appeal with the wage board within 10 days from publication.

Despite the prohibition, the Pasig court issued the TRO on July 30 following a status quo ante order issued by the court executive judge on July 24. Citing a 2001 precedent, Nova vs. Dames, the groups noted that a judge who restrained the execution of a final labor award, contrary to the Labor Code's prohibition against injunctions in labor cases, was found guilty of gross ignorance of the law.

The wage order was intended to be implemented in two tranches, with the first taking effect on July 25 and the second tranche scheduled for January 20, 2027. Among the signatories of the letter are Akbayan Party-list Representative Percival Cenda±a and officials from various labor organizations, including the National Union of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant and Allied Industries, League of Independent Bank Organizations, United Domestic Workers Federation, National Union of Workers in the Power Industry, Tala Estate Settlers Federation, and National Alliance of Broadcast Unions.