Bill seeks higher pay for mid-level gov’t employees

MANILA, Philippines – To match the pay of their counterparts in the private sector, a House bill is seeking amendments to the Salary Standardization Law, which will authorize department heads to increase the salaries of mid-level government employees.

The Salary Standardization Law has fixed brackets for the increase in government employees’ compensation.

House Bill 6712, filed by Quirino Lone District Representative Dakila Carlo Cua, seeks to give the heads of departments the power to approve a higher salary than the ones indicated in the law.

It covers “any position holding Salary Grades 21 to 29.”

In the bill, Cua inserts a provision where the salary, after readjustment, may not exceed the pay of a Salary Grade 30 employee.

“Provided, that the President may, in truly exceptional cases, may approve higher compensation for the aforesaid officials,” the bill said.

Cua said that “by giving the head of each branch, bureau, agency or department the power to adjust the benchmarking of position schedule to match compensation offered by the government to that in the private industry will level the playing field.”

As it stands, the Salary Standardization Law signed in 2016 will provide a Salary Grade 21 employee an increase that will reach P64,741 by the 4th tranche. A Salary Grade 29 employee will receive P173,634 monthly by the 4th tranche.

A Salary Grade 30 employee, which is the threshold set by Cua’s bill, will be entitled to P196,206 by the 4th tranche. – Rappler.com