Noy wants pay hike for government execs, workers

MANILA, Philippines – The proposed increase in the salaries of government officials and workers may not come in time for Christmas but it will certainly not wait until President Aquino says farewell next year, Malacañang said yesterday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB that Aquino himself said on Friday the government was “making very good progress on that proposal because, at the end of the day, we want to be able to give our government workers a competitive standing as compared to their counterparts in the private sector.”

“This is not intended as a Christmas gift, but it would be sooner than later,” Valte said.

She added that, so far, government-owned and/or -controlled corporations had already increased the salaries of their officials and employees to be at par with the private sector.

“Of course, the numbers are not necessarily the same but the President said we would want to do something similar for those in government service,” Valte said.

At the 14th Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. Chief Executive Officers (SEIPI -CEO) Forum on Friday, the President said they were considering a new round of salary standardization increases as one measure to curb corruption and red tape in the bureaucracy. Those two concerns were raised during the forum.

“The idea is to match the private sector by (giving) about 70 percent of what a private sector employee gets and the bonuses will no longer be pro forma bonuses but rather performance-based bonuses,” the President said.

The Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) system is a merit-based incentive program that recognizes and rewards exemplary performance in government.

Launched by the Aquino administration in 2012, the PBB ultimately aims to improve the delivery of goods and services to the public as well as institute a culture of excellence in public service across the bureaucracy.

The PBB is “a top-up bonus to be given to personnel of bureaus or delivery units in accordance with their contribution to the accomplishment of their department’s overall targets and commitments.”

The bonus is given when the department achieves the performance targets under their respective so-called major final outputs and on the priority program commitments approved by the President. 

The Palace also vowed there would be no sacred cows in enforcing the orders of the Office of the Ombudsman on erring public officials.