WHEREAS, the nation now faces a continuing crisis as a result of wide-ranging developments in the world's economic and political systems;

WHEREAS, a need exists to sustain the momentum of national growth established in the past years and ensure a development path that is both enduring and compassionate;

WHEREAS, the National Tripartite Conference on Wages, Employment and Industrial Relations was convened on 15-16 August, 1980 to address itself to meeting this need;

WHEREAS, the delegates to the Conference proposed, in response to the challenge, to make certain adjustments in the wages of workers to ensure a decent living wage for them and the continued viability of business and industry;

NOW, THEHEFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, and upon the recommendation of the Minister of Labor and Employment and the Cabinet Standing Committee, do hereby order and decree:

SECTION 1. The minimum daily wage rates shall be increased by P 1.00. All private employers shall pay their employees whose wage or salary is not more than P 1,500.00 a month an additional mandatory living allowance of P60.00 a month for non-agricultural workers, P45.00 a month for plantation workers and P30.00 a month for agricultural non-plantation workers.

SEC. 2. Existing or new enterprises that are or may become temporarily distressed or dislocated may be granted full exemption or deferment of compliance by the National Wages Council.

The Council shall act on petitions with complete supporting documents within one month from submission thereof.

SEC. 3. Any increase in wages or allowances granted by employers unilaterally or by collective agreement between first of July 1980 and the date of the effectivity of this Decree may be credited to the amount of allowances provided herein.

SEC. 4. The National Wages Council shall review all existing decrees granting mandatory living allowances and the basic minimum wages with a view to consolidating or restructuring all such allowances for ease of administration and enforcement as well as to reaffirm the basic income of the lowest categories of workers.

SEC. 5. The Minister of Labor and Employment shall initially promulgate rules to implement this decree.

SEC. 6. Nothing herein shall be construed to minimize of eliminate any benefit to which a worker is now entitled under existing law, contract or practice.

SEC. 7. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 18th day of August, in the Year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty.

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.) JOAQUIN T. VENUS, JR.
		Presidential Assistant