In July 1989, the Philippine Congress enacted into law Republic Act No. 6727, also known as the "Wage Rationalization Act." The Act established a new mechanism for minimum wage determination through the creation of the National Wages and Productivty Commission ( NWPC) and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) in all regions of the country. The NWPC is an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).