MANILA, Philippines — More than a million public school teachers and government education personnel will receive their P20,000 Service Recognition Incentive starting December 20, the Department of Education confirmed on Monday, December 16.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said that funds will be downloaded to regional offices for "immediate disbursement" on December 20 following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to provide the maximum allowable incentive to DepEd personnel.
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“This is a historic moment for DepEd, as we are able to grant the highest SRI ever for our workforce. We are deeply grateful to President Marcos Jr. for his steadfast support in prioritizing the welfare of teachers and staff who serve as the backbone of the education sector,” Angara said.
The department started processing the requirements for the disbursement of the incentive following the release of Administrative Order No. 27 by the Office of the President on December 13.
The payout marks the first time teachers will get the maximum bonus amount allowed by law, following Marcos's statement last week justifying the hike in their SRI from P18,000 to P20,000. He had called teachers a "special category" that needs individual focus when it comes to government bonuses.
The SRI is an additional year-end bonus granted to government workers to recognize their service. It's given to civilian personnel in national government agencies, military and police personnel, firefighters, jail officers, and staff of the Bureau of Corrections, Philippine Coast Guard, and National Mapping Authority.
The SRI also covers employees in state universities and colleges, government-owned corporations, and local government units, depending on their financial capability. Constitutional offices like Congress and the judiciary may grant up to Php 20,000 to their personnel, chargeable against their available funds.
To qualify for the full bonus, government employees must have completed at least four months of satisfactory service as of Nov. 30, 2024, and continue to be employed. Those with less than four months of service will receive a pro-rated amount.