TUC Threatens Nationwide Action! “No to Utility Hikes Without Better Pay”—Workers Demand Gov’t Renegotiate 2026 Salary or Face Mass Resistance.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has issued a warning that it would take action to organize workers around the nation in order to resist the hikes in the new electricity tariff if the government does not make improvements to the 9% wage boost that was just authorized for 2026. This comes after the Philippine’s Energy Regulatory Commission said that electricity rates would increase by 9.86 percent and water tariffs would increase by 15.92 percent starting on January 1, 2026. The Trade Union Congress believes these modifications to be excessive and inappropriate. The union made it clear in a statement released by Secretary-General Joshua Ansah that employees are not going to be willing to accept the new rates until the government goes back to renegotiate the pay rise that is scheduled for 2026. In addition, the union issued a warning that if the government does not take this action, the Congress will be compelled to take the lead in organizing opposition on a national scale. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) contended that the increases, which came soon after small increases to the minimum wage and base pay, would wipe out any benefits from the 2026 salary adjustment as a result of increased living expenses. Furthermore, it said that in 2025, tariffs would climb by almost 18%, even if salaries would only grow by 10%. This statement was made in response to the most recent hikes, which were seen to be evidence of the government’s lack of awareness and concern for the challenges that workers and the general public are facing.
