How to Prepare for 2025 Philippine Labor Law Updates: A Guide for HR and Business Leaders

The Philippine labor landscape, like that of many countries, is highly regulated and constantly evolving. Updates typically come from the Philippine Congress or the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). These laws govern hiring practices, employee rights, compensation, and working conditions.

HR teams and business owners seeking to comply with Philippine employment regulations in 2025 must carefully navigate these nuances. Unfortunately, many regulatory updates are written in complex legal language, making them difficult to understand and implement. And noncompliance, even unintentionally, can lead to hefty fines, employee grievances, or lawsuits. 

In this guide, we break down the 2025 Philippine labor law updates into straightforward insights. Whether you aim to avoid costly penalties or ensure your HR policies are up-to-date, you’ll discover what your HR team must do next and how a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) helps to ensure seamless compliance.

Update 1: Anti-Harassment Law Refinement

Among the Philippine labor laws that employers must know is the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 7877). It mandates employers to adopt policies that prevent cases of sexual exploitation in the workplace. However, this law primarily covers cases where the offender had authority or influence over the victim, for instance, a manager over an employee. It doesn’t address harassment between co-workers or situations when a subordinate harasses a superior.

To address these lapses, the Philippine government refined the anti-workplace harassment law Philippines through the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313). This legislation now includes gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) committed in public spaces, educational or training institutions, workplaces, or online. It covers inappropriate conduct such as sexist, homophobic, misogynistic, and transphobic remarks and acknowledges that harassment can occur between peers or even from subordinates to their superiors.

HR preparation tips

• Review and update anti-harassment policies. Study key changes in the policies, including the expanded definitions, GBSH offenses, new reporting mechanisms, and penalties. Additionally, consult the official DOLE guidelines to clarify any vague or ambiguous terms.
• Train designated committee members. Organize seminars to educate all employees on GBSH acts, how to report incidents, and penalties for offenders. Ensure that your Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) or assigned committee members are trained to handle complaints fairly, protect confidentiality, and follow the correct resolution procedures.
• Document grievance and resolution processes. Update the anti-harassment section of your employee handbook to reflect these regulatory changes. The revision should include anonymous reporting channels, confidentiality protocols, investigation, and resolution steps.

How HRIS can help

Centralize policy documentation and get employee acknowledgement

An HRIS like Omni stores and updates all company policies, including the employee handbook, code of conduct, anti-harassment rules, and other internal policies, in a centralized, easily accessible location. It also allows you to share them with employees and track receipts, ensuring everyone understands their rights and responsibilities. This centralized approach promotes consistent communication across all departments.

Automate case tracking and audit trails

HR software offers a structured system for logging, monitoring, and managing harassment cases, from initial complaint to resolution. It captures key details such as complaint submissions, committee members, investigations, and supporting documents with time stamps for transparency during audits or inspections.

Create anonymous reporting workflows

HR systems like Omni offer secure reporting capabilities, customizable forms, and encrypted portals, enabling employees to submit complaints anonymously. These features protect the identity of complainants, ensure data privacy compliance, and create a culture where everyone is encouraged to speak up.

Read more: Top HRIS Systems in Philippines: 2025 Comparison Guide

Update 2: 2025 Minimum Wage Increase

Philippine minimum wage rates vary by region and industry. For instance, the daily minimum wage for non-agricultural workers in Metro Manila was increased from PHP 610 to PHP 645. In contrast, the minimum wage in the Caraga Region is PHP 415 per day, while agricultural and service establishment workers saw an increase from PHP 573 to PHP 608 per day.

However, on 4 June 2025, the House of Representatives approved a bill granting a PHP 200 increase to the daily minimum wage for private sector workers. If enacted into law, this adjustment will require HR teams to revise salary budgets and update compensation packages to ensure compliance with recent Philippine labor law updates.

HR preparation tips

• Conduct a salary benchmark audit. Start by reviewing current employee salaries and comparing them with updated regional minimum wage rates and industry standards. This audit helps identify pay gaps and adjust your compensation structure to maintain fairness.
• Adjust payroll budgets and update internal pay scales. Evaluate the financial impact of the wage increase on overtime pay, statutory contributions, and your company’s overhead costs. Consider cost-saving measures, such as postponing non-essential hiring and cross-training employees for multi-role support. Use these insights to revise your payroll budget while balancing compliance requirements with long-term business goals.

Additional reading: HR's Guide to Payroll Taxes in the Philippines

How HRIS can help

Automatically apply region-based wage updates

Modern HR systems use location-specific data to update salaries according to recent minimum wage changes. This ensures accurate calculations and seamless compliance.

Simulate payroll impact across departments

Tools like Omni provide analytics and reporting tools that allow HR teams to measure the impact of these changes across departments and make informed decisions on resource allocation and hiring.

Generate alerts for non-compliant wage entries

An HRIS reconciles payroll data with the latest minimum wage rates and notifies HR teams of discrepancies if an employee’s salary falls below the legal threshold. 

Update 3: 9G Visa Digitization and Training Mandates

Otherwise known as the pre-arranged employment visa, the 9G visa process 2025 allows Philippine businesses to hire foreigners with specialized skills, qualifications, or experience not readily available locally. To apply, the foreign national must secure employment with a Philippine-based company willing to sponsor the visa. The visa is only valid for the duration of employment. Upon termination, the foreign employee must either convert to a tourist visa or apply for a new work visa.

The Philippines Bureau of Immigration (BI) issued Board Resolution No. 2024-0011, which introduces new requirements for holders of this visa. It mandates employers to submit a notice of promotion and apply for an extension of stay within 30 days of submitting the notice. This update places a greater responsibility on employers to ensure the timely submission of visa-related documents.

HR preparation tips

• Establish a digital-ready visa processing protocol. Create standardized templates and checklists for easy submission of notice. Assign clear responsibilities to compliance teams for document reviews and set automated reminders to meet critical deadlines.

• Align hiring roadmaps with new timelines. Adjust your recruitment timeline to accommodate key steps such as securing the Alien Employment Permit (AEP), filing the 9G visa, submitting required documents, and onboarding foreign hires. Ensure all essential teams, including legal and recruitment, are in sync to prevent missed deadlines or delays. 
• Draft and file employee development plans. Use performance reviews and 1-on-1 meetings to identify employees’ roles, skills, and career goals. Then, create a development plan outlining clear objectives and skill-building activities tailored to each employee’s growth needs. 

How HRIS can help

Automate visa and permit reminders

Manual tracking of immigration timelines can lead to costly delays. With an HRIS like Omni, you can set automated reminders to ensure you never miss a critical submission date, keeping your workforce compliant and operations running smoothly.

Track training and compliance status

An HRIS can log and report the status of employee training, whether completed, ongoing, or scheduled, helping HR teams stay aligned with the Philippine labor law updates.

Securely store digital visa records

HR platforms like Omni offer centralized, encrypted storage for visa and permit documentation, ensuring quick retrieval during compliance checks and regulatory audits.

How HR Teams Can Prepare for Philippine Labor Law Updates

In response to the Philippine labor law updates, HR teams can prepare by collaborating across departments, reviewing policies, and ensuring accurate documentation. 

Cross-functional collaboration

Encouraging collaboration across departments strengthens compliance and decision-making. According to a Deloitte survey, 83% of digitally advanced companies use cross-functional teams to stay agile and competitive. 

For example, HR can work closely with legal teams to verify visa requirements and ensure proper documentation throughout the hiring process. By combining different expertise, companies gain unique ideas and better problem-solving skills and ensure employer compliance according to the Philippine labor law updates.

Training and policy audits

To stay compliant with the list of labor laws in the Philippines, regularly review your company policies to align outdated practices with Philippine labor law updates. Additionally, revise training programs to reflect changes in minimum wage, workplace harassment policies, and visa sponsorship requirements. This approach reduces the risk of non-compliance and aligns internal procedures with Philippine labor law updates.

Documentation

Maintain accurate company records, including employment contracts, payroll, policy changes, and training sessions. Proper documentation helps to prove compliance with Philippine labor updates during regulatory audits. It also allows HR teams to identify and implement changes when DOLE amends labor law Philippines.

How HRIS Helps Employers Comply with Labor Law Philippines in 2025

Scalability

As your business expands across the Philippines, an HRIS automatically updates to reflect changes in varying local laws and compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions. It also applies region-specific wage increases and statutory deductions for an increasing number of employees. This scalability ensures the software adapts to your company’s growing compliance needs without compromising performance or efficiency.

"What drew us to Omni was the flexibility of the platform in terms of all the fields that we want to incorporate to fit our business needs. Omni can serve all the countries that we have and, in the future, our expansion plans as well."
— Lovely Tan, Philippines Country Head of People, Qashier

Read more: Qashier Slashed Payroll Processing Time by 75% with Omni

Automation

An HRIS automates key compliance tasks by applying wage updates, flagging inconsistent data, sending training notifications, and generating accurate reports. This ensures efficiency throughout the compliance process, reducing the risk of manual errors and missed deadlines during Philippine labor law updates.

Reporting

An HRIS empowers businesses to comply with Philippine labor law updates by offering robust reporting and analytics across crucial compliance areas. It generates detailed reports on payroll, training completion, visa status, and workplace harassment cases. These insights help HR teams to monitor progress, improve transparency, and make data-driven decisions.

Employee self-service

An HRIS helps employers comply with Philippine labor law updates by providing self-service portals that empower employees to manage tasks independently. These portals allow employees to access company policies, review their pay slips, enroll in training, manage their benefits, and even report harassment anonymously. This accessibility enhances transparency and employee engagement, ensuring active collaboration with HR teams for accuracy and legal compliance.

Stay Ahead of the Philippine Labor Law Updates with Omni

For HR teams in the Philippines, selecting a reliable HRIS system is key to staying compliant with Philippine labor law updates while improving overall operational efficiency. 

With Omni’s award-winning modules, you’ll eliminate the inefficiencies of manual processes that plague many Philippine businesses. As one of the best HRIS systems in the Philippines, Omni frees HR teams from administrative cycles by automating the entire end-to-end employee lifecycle—from recruitment and onboarding to employee engagement and payroll—allowing you to redirect your time to strategic work that directly impacts your bottom line.

Designed specifically to support every aspect of your business, Omni ensures you meet all requirements under the Philippine Labor Code, Data Privacy Act, SSS, Pag-IBIG contributions, and more. Our comprehensive platform offers an intuitive and fully customizable experience that integrates with your team’s favorite tools for a seamless and timely adoption.

If you’d like to learn more about how Omni automates the entire end-to-end employee lifecycle, saving People leaders from administrative tasks and increasing organizational innovation, book your product tour with our team today.

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