Government workers receives 10% wage hike

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
February 2, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The government service providers have a reason to smile these days. It is payback time as Congress has ratified a ten percent increase in their salaries this year, the first wage increase in six years.

The only thing needed now is the signature of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which is forthcoming because this is her desire in the first place. The measure also provides for a doubling of hazard pay and a 50 percent increase in the subsistence allowance of soldiers, police and brigade workers and prison officers.

This increase has long been awaited by the government workers. Last year, the government raised the cost-of-living allowances for some state employees and in 2005 but the last time the country's 1.2 million civil servants received a salary increase was in 2001.

While their counterparts in the private sector were receiving wage increases almost every year, the last being in October, the government workers continued serving the public and patiently waited for the government’s signal for them to be given salary hike.

Giving the government workers a salary increase is a manifestation that the government recognizes the government workers’ contributions and sacrifices in order to achieve good governance and in order to provide the best service to the public.

The government assumed a five percent salary increase for state and private sector workers in its annual average inflation target of four to five percent this year, which compares with 6.2 percent in 2006.

Military, police, fire and jail personnel will get a P30 increase in their subsistence allowance and P120 more in hazard pay -- extra money for those doing dangerous work -- under the measure.

Meanwhile, Congress is still debating raising the minimum daily wage by P125 ($2.56) but President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to veto this since her economic managers have warned it will push up inflation.