MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued administrative orders (AOs) granting a service recognition incentive (SRI) for employees of the executive department, as well as a gratuity pay for contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers in government.
Marcos signed AOs 12 and 13 on Dec. 7, copies of which were posted on the website of the Official Gazette.
Under AO 12, Marcos authorizes the grant of a one-time SRI at a uniform rate not exceeding PHP20,000 for those working under the executive department.
Those who will receive the SRI include civilian personnel of national government agencies (NGAs), including those in state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) occupying regular, contractual or casual positions; military and police personnel; as well as fire and jail personnel under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and National Mapping
and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) are also entitled to receive the SRI.
The incentive for NGAs, SUCs, and military and uniformed personnel would be funded through the available released Personnel Services allotments under Republic Act (RA) 11936 or the 2023 General Appropriations Act.
Employees of both Houses of Congress, the Judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman, and Constitutional offices may also be granted a one-time SRI by their respective heads of offices at a uniform rate not exceeding PHP20,000.
Personnel of local government units (LGUs), including those in the villages, may also receive the incentive depending on the LGUs’ financial capability, subject to limitations in their respective budgets under the Local Government Code of 1991.
Employees in local water districts (LWDs), as well as in NGAs and GOCCs exempted from the coverage of RA 6758, may also receive the SRI.
The payment of SRI to all qualified government personnel should be given not earlier than Dec. 15, according to AO 12.
G
ratuity pay
Meanwhile, AO 13 authorizes the grant of gratuity pay for government workers under the COS and job order JO schemes for fiscal year 2023.
Based on AO 13, a one-time gratuity pay not exceeding PHP5,000 will be given to all COS and JO employees.
AO 13 covers all workers whose services are directly engaged through COS and JO by national NGAs, SUCs, GOCCs and LWDs.
COS and JO workers who have rendered a total or an aggregate of at least four months of actual satisfactory performance of service, as stipulated in their respective contracts, as of Dec. 15, 2023, and whose contracts are still effective, as of the same date, may be granted a gratuity pay not exceeding PHP5,000 each.
‘Granting a year-end gratuity pay to COS and JO workers is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work and valuable participation in the implementation of various PAPs (programs, activities and projects) in government, and pivotal role in the delivery of government services amid the present socio-economic challenges,’ A
O 13 read.
According to AO 13, COS and JO workers who have rendered less than four months of actual satisfactory performance of service may also be granted a one-time gratuity pay on a pro rata basis.
Those who are working in government for three months but less than four months will receive a gratuity pay not exceeding PHP4,000, while those who have rendered two months but less than three months will get an amount not exceeding PHP3,000.
A gratuity pay not exceeding PHP2,000 will be given to those who have rendered less than two months.
Requests for the use of savings shall be submitted by NGAs and SUCs to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) not later than five working days from the effectivity of AO 13, for endorsement to the Office of the President.
The DBM, according to AO 13, shall release the corresponding Special Allotment Release Order and Notice of Cash Allocation, as needed, upon approval of the President.
LGUs are enjoined to adopt in their respective offices the grant of gratuity p
ay to their COS and JO workers.
Source: Philippines News Agency