P-Noy OKs SBMA salary increase

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Office of the President approved on Tuesday the request of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for a salary adjustment that would benefit its more than 3,000 employees.

In a March 22 memorandum sent to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. approved SBMA’s request to make the fourth tranche of the salary standardization law as the basis for the salary rates of SBMA employees.

Ochoa said the approved rates, which are effective Jan. 1 this year, are “subject to applicable budgetary, accounting, and auditing laws, rules and regulations.”

“The SBMA may only implement the salary adjustment upon showing that its financial position can fully support the same, as approved by its board of directors,” Ochoa said, adding that “in no case shall subsidy be granted by the national government to SBMA to cover the funding requirement of the salary adjustment.”

SBMA Chair Roberto Garcia on Wednesday convened the agency’s employees to announce the approval of the salary adjustment. Allan Macatuno, Inquirer Central Luzon