Duterte signs law increasing pay for gov’t workers

President Rodrigo Duterte signs the Salary Standardization Law into effect in Malacañang on January 8, 2020 as his ever-present former assistant Senator Bong Go looks on. Photo: Office of the President

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday signed the measure that would increase the salaries of more than 1.4 million government employees starting this year.

Duterte signed the Salary Standardization Law of 2019 in Malacañang, according to a photo released by his office.

Under the new law, the salary adjustment would be given in four tranches starting in January 2020 and ending in 2023.

The largest increases ranged from 20 to 30% for employees under Salary Grades 10 to Salary Grades 15, while the smallest increase would be 8% for government workers under Salary Grades 23 to 33. The president is under SG 33.

SSL V would give public school teachers salaries that were higher than their private sector counterparts by around 65 to 87%.

Apart from the salary increases, the measure also mandates the grant of midyear bonus to government workers equivalent to one month salary as of May 15 of a given year, provided that they have rendered at least four months of service and are still in service by the same day.

Also, the existing yearend bonus equivalent to one month basic salary and cash gift of P5,000 must be released in November of every year.

A total of P34.2 billion has been allocated under the 2020 national budget for the implementation of the first tranche of the pay hikes.

Duterte, Vice President Leni Robredo, the present senators and congressmen were not entitled to the increases granted.

Duterte had certified the bill urgent allowing the Senate and House of Representatives to skip the three-day rule and approve the measure on third reading immediately after it was passed on second reading. — BM, GMA News