Palace: Higher salaries will yield more competitive gov’t workers

Malacañang Palace on Thursday defended its plan to increase the salary of government employees, saying a pay hike would motivate them to work harder and be more competitive.

Confirming that the Palace was eyeing to adjust the salary structure of the entire public service sector and not just of the president contrary to reports, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said a just compensation was necessary to produce “quality employees.”

“‘Pag pinag-usapan natin ‘yan, isang buong iskalera ‘yan, mula sa pinakamababa hanggang sa pinakamataas na posisyon; at kahit sinong makatuwirang eksperto sa management ang magsasabi na kung gusto natin ang quality service, kinakailangan natin ay quality employees, at makakakuha tayo ng quality employees o quality officials kung mayroon namang makatuwirang kompensasyon,” Coloma told reporters in a press briefing.

Coloma said even government-controlled corporations and financial institutions had been implementing their own charters of compensation system supposedly to attract “top-level talent” and to “deliver services in the most efficient way.”

“Itinataas natin ‘yung level of salaries para ito ay maging competitive. Ibig sabihin ng competitive, ’yung pamahalaan mismo pwedeng mag-compete for the best talent available, at magiging attractive sa mga highly talented, qualified and willing people ’yung paglahok sa serbisyo publiko,” he added.

As to allegations that the hike proposal was self-serving, Coloma said the salary adjustment plan would benefit the next administration.

Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad reportedly said higher-ranking government officials would receive bigger adjustments compared to low-level employees, with the president’s monthly salary of P120,000 being expected to increase by as much as thrice to P400,000.