The Supreme Court has increased the salaries of the country’s first-level court judges.
First-level courts refer to municipal trial courts, municipal circuit trial courts and Sharia circuit courts.
In a resolution issued on Sept. 11, the Supreme Court increased the monthly salary of these judges to P127,000 from the previous P102,000 to P114,000 monthly compensation.
Lower court judges would now be under Salary Grade 28, from the previous Salary Grade 26 and 27.
The salary increase was made to retroactively take effect on July 1 this year.
Use savings
The Supreme Court said funds for the salary increase would come “from the available savings of the lower courts” while the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had yet to issue the document needed to effect the pay increase and release funds for this.
Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, who will retire on Oct. 8, gave the green light to implement the salary increase ahead of the issuance of the DBM’s notice of organization, staffing and compensation and funds from the national coffers.