MANILA: Senator Jinggoy Estrada said Monday that increasing the salaries of government employees could be implemented through an Executive Order (EO) if his proposed Salary Standardization Law (SSL VI) is not feasible.
In a statement, Estrada noted that former President Benigno s. Aquino III issued EO No. 201 in 2016 to implement an increase in the salaries of government employees when Congress failed to ratify a new SSL.
‘Aquino issued the Order to ensure that the compensation structure of government personnel is comparable with the prevailing rates in the private sector thereby attracting and retaining competent and committed civil servants,” he said.
Estrada recently filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 2611 or SSL VI seeking for a gradual 46 percent increase in the salaries of government workers.
“Umaasa tayo na mabibigyan ng konsiderasyon ang panukalang inihain ko dala na rin ng mga pangangailangan ng mga manggagawa bunsod ng patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin (We hope that the measure I filed will be
given consideration due to the needs of workers caused by the continuous increase in the price of goods),” Estrada said.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker said he expects the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to present to the Senate a study on salary increases for government workers during budget deliberations this year.
“I was informed that there is a study on this matter, and we will wait for its submission in time for the budget hearings. May sapat na panahon para pag-aralan ang pinapanukala ko na panibagong (There is enough time to study my proposed new) Salary Standardization Law,” he said.
Around PHP48 million was allocated from the budget of the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) for the study, which will cover the compensation structure of national government agencies and GOCCs, according to the DBM.
Source: Philippines News Agency