The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announces approval of an “historic” P85 daily minimum wage increase for workers covered by the National Capital Region (NCR) wage board. Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino says the adjustment is the largest wage hike ever approved for the NCR, raising the daily minimum wage from P695 to P780. The announcement comes through DOLE’s Wage Order No. NCR-27. DOLE says the increase is set to benefit about 1.1 million minimum wage earners who rely on daily pay in Metro Manila. Coverage includes workers paid under the NCR minimum wage rules, as identified by the wage board. One outlet reports the wage hike is scheduled to start on July 19, while other reports characterize the decision and its expected coverage but do not provide a different effective date. The reports also note that some stakeholders express skepticism or disapproval even as DOLE and its labor chief describe the increase as historic. Overall, the wage order formalizes the higher daily rate for eligible NCR workers under the approved wage adjustment.