The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) scoffed at the recent wage increase in three regions for 2025, calling it a “gross insult” to workers. The regional wage board’s decision to raise wages by ₱14 in SOCCSKSARGEN, ₱25-₱41 in Central Luzon, and ₱30 in Cagayan Valley “is not even enough for workers’ transportation costs,” according to the labor center.

“The new minimum wage in Cagayan Valley is ₱480, while the family living wage (FLW) is ₱1,108; in Central Luzon, the new minimum wage is ₱525-541, while the FLW is ₱1,172; and in SOCCSKSARGEN, the new minimum wage is ₱417, while the FLW is ₱1,193,” the KMU explained. Thus, the minimum wage in these regions remains roughly half of the FLW.

“Regional wage boards are utterly useless,” the group says. “The decades of uncoordinated, unmoving, and token wage increases has resulted to the inability of real wages to keep up with the rising cost of living.”

The KMU advocates for the elimination of regional wage boards and the establishment of a national minimum wage. It demands an increase in wages to ₱1,200 to assist Filipino workers in managing the runaway inflation.

“The power to fight for wage increases is in the hands of workers. Let us strive to achieve this through all possible means to attain a living wage for all workers,” the KMU urged.