Government employees led by the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) express their disappointment with the passage of the Salary Standardization Law 2015 on Friday. The group raised concern over the insufficiency of the raise to cover the daily cost of living of majority of public servants. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Voting, 14-0, the Senate on Monday afternoon approved on third and final reading the proposed Salary Standardization Law IV (SSL IV) defining the new and upgraded salary scale for each salary grade of all government employees to be implemented in a four-year period.
Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said the SSL IV will be implemented with the funds coming from the authorization in the 2016 national budget.
At least P57 billion have already been allocated for the wage hike in the proposed 2016 national budget.
The House of Representatives, voting 170-5-1, approved its version on Wednesday last week.
Senate Bill 2671 states the new compensation scheme aims to bring the pay of government personnel closer to the prevailing rates in the private sector to attract and retain competent and committed personnel in the public sector.
Under the bill, the minimum salary for Salary Grace 1 will be raised from the current P9,000 to P11,068 “to make it even more competitive with the market rates.”
The bill aims to bring the compensation of government personnel closer to their private counterparts to at least 70 percent of the market rate for all salary grades and ensure that authorized salaries for each of the salary grade shall not overlap to recognize differences in duties and responsibilities.
It also provides for a compensation adjustment partly as basic salary and partly as mid-year 14th month pay to maximize the employees’ net take home pay.
It states in January 1, 2016, the compensation adjustment will be in the form of the first tranche salary increase and a mid-year bonus; in January 1, 2017, the compensation adjustment will consist of the second tranche salary increase, mid-year bonus, and 50 percent of the enhanced performance-based bonus.
By January 1, 2018, the compensation adjustment will include the third tranche salary increase, mid-year bonus, and the enhanced performance-based bonus; and by January 1, 2019, the full implementation of the SSL 2015 will be composed of the final tranche salary increase, the mid-year bonus, and the enhanced performance-based bonus. (MNS)