The proposed P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016 includes a total of P50.6 billion for the possible increase in the salaries of government employees nationwide. The budget would translate to an average of P3,000 a month increase in the salary of each of the 1.3 million government employees.
According to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, the P50.6 billion was set aside in the budget for the possible implementation of the fourth phase of the Salary Standardization Law (SSL-4). The statement was released by the Budget Secretary during the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s presentation of the 2016 National Expenditure Program before the Senate committee on finance.
The details of the 2016 national budget have yet to be presented to the President and the Cabinet. Aside from the proposed salary increase of government workers, it would be added to the already approved P17 billion in performance-based incentives that the national government would grant to government workers.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said that the details of the SSL-4 proposal would be presented to Congress in less than two months’ time. During the presentation of the Budget Department, Sec. Abad hinted of the possibility of a salary hike for government employees before the end of President Aquino’s term next year.
Asked by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto what would happen if the President does not approve the salary adjustment, Abad said the P50.6 billion would be treated as savings, which could then be realigned by the President.