Raising the bar for work in the Philippines: Why 2026 will be defining for HR leadership

The Philippine employment landscape has entered 2026 in a state of high-velocity transformation. While the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) reports that 4.5 million minimum wage earners across 14 regions benefited from wage hikes in 2025, the pressure on private-sector enterprises is only intensifying.

According to the Robert Walters Salary Survey 2026, we are witnessing a “Talent Paradox.” Despite economic volatility, 100% of businesses plan to raise pay this year. Yet salary alone is no longer the ultimate retention tool; 71% of professionals are actively seeking new opportunities, and the average tenure has shrunk to just 2.3 years.

Bridging the gap: From compliance to strategy

The recent DOLE mandates, which saw daily minimum wages in the National Capital Region (NCR) climb to as high as ₱695 (US$11.75), have created a “wage distortion” ripple effect. For HR leaders, the challenge has shifted from simple payroll compliance to a complex balancing act of managing enterprise-level salary adjustments for over 8 million middle-income earners while maintaining profitability.

Furthermore, with 84% of professionals expecting a pay rise this year, the margin for error in compensation strategy is razor-thin. This is no longer just an operational hurdle—it is a strategic crisis that requires a fundamental repositioning of the HR function.

To address these shifts, HRM Asia is convening the CHRO Series Philippines from 27-28 January 2026 at the Ascott Bonifacio Global City, Manila. Positioned as a flagship gathering for senior HR leaders, the conference confronts one central question: How can HR shape a future in which work is not merely performed but truly experienced with purpose, innovation, and resilience?

A lineup of seasoned HR leaders and industry practitioners will unpack actionable insights and strategies tailored to the Philippines’ evolving landscape.

Rosita Ceres Legaspi-Aguas, CHRO and Head of People, Learning and Culture at Unilab, will open the conference with a keynote on transforming HR from an operational function to a strategic engine that drives growth, trust, and workforce resilience. With economic shifts and demographic dynamics accelerating change, the session underscores how HR leaders can align people strategies with business ambition.

Analytics and workforce mobility will also take centre stage. Francoise Bejasa, Executive Director, Talent Acquisition, Asia-Pacific, TTEC, will explore the advancement of people analytics and internal talent marketplaces—a critical strategy as organisations respond to shorter employee tenure, workforce fluidity, and growing interest in gig and contingent roles.

Meanwhile, sustainability, once a corporate buzzword, is fast becoming a core workforce value proposition. In this panel discussion, Maria Therese G. Sebastian, Assistant Vice-President for HR, SM Development Corporation; Vincent Benedicto, Senior Assistant Vice-President for HR, Philippine National Bank; Michelle Guce, Chief HR and Admin Officer, Malayan Insurance; and Rolly Zubiri, Director for HR Operations at Newport World Resorts, will discuss what it truly means to build sustainable, people-centric workplaces—linking environmental responsibility with engagement, wellbeing, and measurable business impact.

Balancing AI, humanity, and the gig economy

Two themes are set to dominate HR conversations in 2026: AI and the gig economy.

In the session The Future of AI in HR: Balancing Technology and the Human Touch moderated by Paul Adapon, Senior Regional HR Business Partner, Asia-Pacific, at 8×8, panellists made up by Carla Lanza, CPO of Maya Bank; Michelle Cordero Garcia, CHRO of Sun Life Philippines; Kiel Abuzia, HR Director at Marikina Valley Medical Centre; and Marco Angelo B. Padernal, HR Director of Robinsons Supermarket, will examine how AI can enhance performance management, decision-making, and workforce capability without eroding fairness, trust and inclusion. The question is no longer whether AI should be used, but how it can be responsibly and meaningfully integrated.

At the same time, the surge in the gig economy continues to reshape the workforce architecture. A dedicated panel featuring Ellen Fulido, Vice-President, HR and Administrative Services, MBC Media Group; Ma Elizabeth D. Nasol, President and Owner of MEDN Management Consultancy Services; Angelo Salamat Macario, CHRO of the National Museum of the Philippines; and Eric del Castillo, Senior General Manager and Vice-President, HR Philippines and ASEAN Special Projects, Nissan Motor Corporation, will address how organisations can design flexible yet equitable workforce models, manage non-traditional employment structures, and ensure policy, culture, and fairness evolve in parallel.

The moment for HR leadership is now

With wage reforms expanding financial equity, productivity initiatives strengthening enterprise competitiveness, and employees becoming increasingly mobile and empowered, the Philippines stands at a defining juncture. The next phase of growth will depend heavily on HR’s ability to steer transformation—anchored in strategy, technology, empathy, and purpose.

CHRO Series Philippines 2026 is more than a conference—it is a movement bringing together leaders committed to actively shaping the future of Philippine work. For organisations preparing for a new era of workforce realities, this is where critical conversations, partnerships, and ideas will begin.

Don’t leave your 2026 talent strategy to chance. To register, click here.