₱47M allocated in proposed 2023 budget to study gov’t workers’ salary, DBM says

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24) — Some ₱47 million has been allocated to study government compensation structures under the proposed 2023 budget of the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG), the Department of Budget and Management said Thursday.

This was DBM’s response to calls by groups of government workers who rallied outside its central office in Manila on Nov. 23 for an increase in minimum wage amid the rapidly increasing cost of goods.

In a statement, the DBM said around P47 million has been allotted under the 2023 National Expenditure Program to fund a GCG study on “the government compensation structure of the different national government agencies and GOCCs [government-owned and controlled corporation].”

The DBM explained that this was done to “ensure that the compensation of all civilian personnel will be generally competitive with those in the private sector doing comparable work to attract, retain, and motivate corps of competent and dedicated civil servants.”

Meanwhile, the DBM said it had begun a review of the rates of the existing benefits afforded to government employees, following a directive from Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

The agency added that it would endorse to the Office of the President (OP) an executive issuance pertaining to the grant of gratuity pay for job order and contract of service (JOSOC) workers in 2022.

Last year, the OP issued Administrative Order 46 which granted JOSOC workers a one-time gratuity pay not exceeding P5,000, depending on length of service.