8% salary hike for gov't staff slated next year

8% salary hike for gov’t staff slated next year

By BEN R. ROSARIO, MB

A total of 980,000 government employees stand to benefit from an eight percent hike in salaries to be implemented next year by the Arroyo administration.

Aside from the R13.1-billion allocation for the salary adjustments, a total R4.8 billion has also been sought to be set aside in next year’s budget to cover the arrears in premium payments to the Government Service Insurance System and Employees Compensation Commission.

Funding for the two programs have been included in the R1.05-trillion budget proposal for 2006.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the House of Representatives, said the salary hike is imperative in view of the fact that incomes of government workers have been "stagnant" in the past four years.

Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin, a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations, disclosed that the proposed eight percent wage hike and the payment of GSIS and ECC arrears are expected to get overwhelming support once budget hearings start.

"These two recommendations, together with much-needed programs in the education sector, are the best proposals in the proposed 2006 budget. Bipartisan support is expected," said Bersamin.

Arrears in premium payments to the GSIS and ECC have accumulated since 1997 when government started to bear the weight of the fiscal crisis in 1997.

Bersamin said government’s failure to complete payment of GSIS premiums can be partially blamed for the non-release of retirement and other benefits to its members.

Malacañang has aired hopes that the settling of the back payments would trigger improvement in public service.

Aside from these pro-worker items in the agenda, government has also proposed a R10-billion allocation for the implementation of Executive Order 366.

EO 366 is part of the program to "rationalize and rightsize" the bureaucracy. It offers redeployment for government workers who want to stay in the service and separation incentives for those who will leave.

Salceda said at least 30,000 employees are targeted for special retirement benefits under the EO 366 program.

Meanwhile, a total of 9,200 new teachers will be hired next year to partially solve the deficiency in public school tutors that stood at 49,000 two years ago.

Classroom shortage which stood at 44,716 some two years ago will partly be addressed with a proposed allocation of R2.9 billion

 

Visit  http://subicbay.ph