(May 29, 2025) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is pushing for the inclusion of minimum wage earners in the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program, with a pilot rollout set to begin in June 2025 and potentially covering 50,000 workers.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma confirmed that DOLE formally recommended the said inclusion to the Department of Agriculture (DA), citing a memorandum of agreement signed earlier this year between the two agencies.
“Yes, we made the request,” Laguesma said in an interview over TrueFM’s Ted Failon at DJ Chacha. “Our aim is to strengthen the purchasing power of minimum wage earners.”
The program’s initial phase will be pilot-tested in selected areas, with the goal of expanding nationwide next year. DOLE has already coordinated with employers in these areas to identify eligible workers and ensure rice distribution is properly implemented.
As of now, regional DOLE offices are working with employers to compile lists of minimum wage earners for verification.
“Employers will submit the names. We want to ensure there’s no favoritism. There must be clear proof that they are minimum wage earners,” Laguesma said.
The DA will shoulder the cost of the subsidy, according to the labor secretary. A finalized list of pilot regions is expected soon, but Laguesma emphasized that the goal is to cover nearly all regions to assess needs and readiness for full implementation in 2026.
The Philippines currently has an estimated 4 million minimum wage earners.
Meanwhile, discussions on a potential wage increase in Metro Manila are underway. According to Laguesma, the NCR wage board has begun its process, including public consultations and initial petitions filed by labor groups seeking a wage hike.
(AGD)
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