DBM: Funds for gov't wage hike fully released

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Wednesday called for the immediate enforcement of the wage hike for government workers, as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has fully released funds for this.

According to the DBM, it released a total of P36.450 billion to all 308 government departments and agencies as of Wednesday, September 25, reflecting the full release of the funds for the Salary Standardization Law VI.

“In light of this, I am appealing to the heads of the respective departments/agencies to hastily enforce the salary adjustments by taking necessary steps forward, including the process and issuance of the Notices of Salary Adjustment (NOSA), so that our government workers may start receiving their differential and salary increases,” Pangandaman said in a statement.

Pangandaman also noted that the first tranche of salary increases for government workers will start retroactively from January 1, 2024, following an order issued by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Issued on August 2, 2024, Executive Order 64 covers civilian government personnel in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches; constitutional commissions and other constitutional offices, as well as workers in government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local government units.

The DBM earlier said the first tranche of salary increases will be funded by the miscellaneous personnel benefits fund (MPBF) and unprogrammed appropriations, having an average increase of 4.41% for salary grades (SGs) 1 to 31.

This will bring the minimum basic salary under SG1 up by P530 to P13,530, with the increase for SG1 to SG10 between 4% and 5.20%.

For the professional level or SG11 to SG24, which includes the workforce required by agencies to carry out their mandate, the increase will range from 4.50% to 5.60%.

Managerial levels or SGs 25 to 28 will have an increase ranging from 4.15% to 4.40%, executive levels or SGs 29 to 31 with 2.65% to 3.90%, and top leaders or SGs 31 to 33 with 2.35% to 2.40%.

The DBM earlier said it earmarked P70 billion in the proposed national budget for 2025 to implement the first two tranches of the government workers’ wage hike, covering the years 2024 and 2025. —KBK, GMA Integrated News