House panel to pass bill increasing gov’t pay on Wednesday

The House of Representatives will pass at the committee level on Wednesday the bill increasing the salaries of government workers.

In a press briefing on Monday, appropriations committee chair Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab said the House is set to fast track the passage of the bill before the year ends.

He said the chamber received its copy of the bill on Monday and is expected to read the bill in the plenary for first reading on today’s afternoon session.

The bill is called the proposed Salary Standardization Law (SSL) 2015 filed as House Bill 6268. 

“I called up the office of the Speaker and Majority Leader. We agreed to pass it on first reading this afternoon and with the Committee on Appropriations to conduct a committee hearing on 9:30 a.m. Wednesday so as we can immediately act on this,” Ungab said. 

“I believe this is good news to all employees of government, from the highest ranking to the lowest. This proposal will be immediately acted upon and as soon as the budget takes effect, or after approval from the Senate and bicameral conference committee,” he added.

According to a copy of the bill sent to the House, the SSL 2015 seeks to increase the lowest salary grade from the current P9,000 to P11,068 a month, and the highest salary grade, which is the President’s, from P120,000 to around P388,096. The rate for the salary grade 1 can be increased to as much as P11,732, and for the President to as much as P399,739, after completing all steps under the fourth tranche.

The salary of public school teachers under Salary Grade 11 would also be increased from the current rate of at least P18,000 per month to as much as P22,829 after completing all eight steps under the fourth tranche. 

Ungab said the the first year implementation of the pay hike would be funded under the proposed P3.002 trillion national budget in 2016. 

He said at least P57.9 billion is earmarked for the first tranche. At least P50.4 billion had  been allotted in the proposed 2016 budget. The remaining balance of P7.5 billion would be sourced from the miscellaneous personnel benefit fund and the pension and gratuity fund.

At least P54.3 billion is earmarked for the second year of implementation, P65.9 billion for third year, and P47.5 billion for the fourth and final year.

“We had been waiting for this since last week, considering it was already included in the proposed 2016 budget… We have been expecting this. We have said that we’ll immediately act upon receipt of this proposal,” Ungab said.

“I’m sure everybody supports this proposal. I don’t see any objection so I expect this to be passed by the committee on Wednesday,” Ungab said.

He said he expects the bill to be passed on third and final reading before the year ends or at the same time Congress is set to ratify the proposed 2016 General Appropriations Act.

Government workers’ salary was last hiked in 2009 due to a joint resolution passed by Congress and duly implemented by an executive order signed by former President Gloria Arroyo. The final fourth tranche was completed in 2012, or during the term of President Aquino.

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Marc Jayson Cayabyab