DBM: 2025 budget has almost P10 billion for gov't workers' HMO benefits

The P6.35-trillion proposed national budget for 2025 includes an allocation worth almost P10 billion for health maintenance organization (HMO) benefits for government workers, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said on Monday.  

“It’s almost P10 billion, or P7,000 per employee. Per year po. Because we [government workers] do not have health maintenance," Pangandaman told reporters after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address on Monday.

"We don’t have HMO for check-ups and when we need to be hospitalized. We don’t have that incentive,” she added.

“This is in the 2025 budget for the medical allowance, so government workers will have HMO benefits,” Pangandaman said.

Pangandaman said that the President would issue an executive order (EO) that would regularize the ranks of contract service workers in government service.

The EO, Pangandaman said, will supplant the Civil Service Commission Circular covering the government’s contract of service workers which is set to expire this year.

“The President will issue an Executive Order which will be effective by January next year," Pangandaman said.

"It will transition... those who we can enlist for plantilla positions in the national government...unti unti po natin sila ipapasok sa gobyerno,” she added.

(We’ll gradually let them into the government as regular workers.)

“Medyo marami po ito, and they need capacitating because there are those who don’t have civil service [exam] qualification. We’ll continue to provide help so they can ultimately meet the quality standards of civil service,” Pangandaman said.

During his third SONA, the President said his administration has allocated funds for the adjustments of salaries of government employees, with the government also committing to providing additional benefits for them.

 https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/914273/marcos-gov-t-employees-to-enjoy-salary-adjustments-medical-allowances/story/