DBM: P31.93B released for gov't workers' salary hike

The Marcos administration's initiative to hike the salaries of workers in the bureaucracy is now in progress as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released over P30 billion to bankroll the first tranche of the wage hike for government personnel this year.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DBM said it has released a total of P31.93 billion as of Sept. 10, 2024 to 257 departments and agencies.

The Budget Department said it is processing the release of funds for the salary hike of workers in 58 more agencies.

To recall, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order (EO) 64 on Aug. 2, 2024, covering 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 (LGUs).

"We are doing everything we can so that we can release the budget to all agencies as soon as possible. Ito po 'yung pinakahihintay ng ating mga kasamahan sa gobyerno (This is what our colleagues in government have been waiting for). Of course, we also urge the heads of the departments and agencies to immediately distribute the salary differential since (the) increase po is retroactive starting January of this year," said Budget Amenah Pangandaman.

EXPLAINER: How much will be the adjusted gov't workers' salaries under EO 64?

Marcos, in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July, said his administration has allocated funds for the salary adjustments of workers in the bureaucracy.

The DBM, meanwhile, said the funds for the salary adjustment have been released to the following departments or agencies:

• Congress of the Philippines
• Office of the President
• Office of the Vice President
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Budget and Management
• State Universities and Colleges
• Department of Education
• Department of Energy
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources
• Department of Foreign Affairs
• Department of Health
• Department of Information and Technology
• Department of Interior and Local Government
• Department of Justice
• Department of Labor and Employment
• Department of Migrant Workers
• Department of National Defense
• Department of Public Works and Highways
• Department of Science and Technology
• Department of Social Welfare and Development
• Department of Trade and Industry
• National Economic Development Authority
• Other Executive Offices (OEOs)
• Civil Service Commission
• Commission on Audit
• Commission on Human Rights
• Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

Dashboard

The DBM said that Pangandaman ordered creation of the Salary Standardization Law VI (SSL VI) dashboard "in the spirit of transparency, accountability, and good governance."

The dashboard is a tool designed to provide real-time data on the budget releases for easier monitoring and effective oversight.

"This dashboard reflects our commitment to transparency and open government. What we want is for the people and our stakeholders to be informed as well as updated in real-time about our budget releases," said Pangandaman.

The DBM said that salary increase dashboard is now up and running in the DBM's official website and can be accessed thru this link: https://www.dbm.gov.ph/

"Note that release of funds relative to salary increase is based on the submitted requests of agencies to the DBM on their respective salary adjustment computations and requirements," according to the Budget Department. — VDV, GMA Integrated News