Pinoy Buzz: government officials

PNoy signs EO to increase salary of government employees

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Friday, February 19, 2016 signed the Executive Order to increase salary of government employees.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yxnMmK7ixrx_PklD_FDEsOWDnC2oHKgqLQK-5KPEwaKbbUn_uQxdz50O2TRI35QcKw3tP2gaMbl01xplOBrV0mdx5BvJctX2SqELXG5PAUIh4eeLlDg0GSlXGcdAJEl8xUYGSVslaq6i/s1600/SALARY-INCREASE-2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="PNoy signs EO to increase salary of government employees" border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yxnMmK7ixrx_PklD_FDEsOWDnC2oHKgqLQK-5KPEwaKbbUn_uQxdz50O2TRI35QcKw3tP2gaMbl01xplOBrV0mdx5BvJctX2SqELXG5PAUIh4eeLlDg0GSlXGcdAJEl8xUYGSVslaq6i/s640/SALARY-INCREASE-2016.jpg" title="PNoy signs EO to increase salary of government employees" width="560" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br />Through EO No. 201, PNoy modifies the salary schedule and authorizes the grant of additional benefits for both civilian and military and uniformed personnel (MUP).<br /><br />The Salary Standardization Law (SSL4) increases the salary of about 1.6 million government workers by an average of 27 percent.<br />"We commend the President for his swift and decisive action in response to the congressional deadlock on the issue of the indexation of MUP pension, which resulted in the non-passage of the proposed Salary Standardization Law of 2015 (SSL 2015), " DBM Secretary Florencio B. Abad said.<br /><br /><b>RELATED: </b><a href="http://pinoybuzz.blogkorner.com/2016/01/14th-month-bonus-government-employees-june-2016.html" rel="nofollow">14th month bonus set to be given to government employees</a><br /><br />This action by the President leverages the benefits package in order to increase the take-home pay of government employees as stipulated in the proposed SSL bills.<br /><br /><b>Compensation Adjustment Strategy</b><br /><br />a) Raise the minimum salary for Salary Grade 1 from the current rate of Nine Thousand Pesos (P9,000) to Eleven Thousand Sixty Eight Pesos (P11,068) to make it even more competitive with the market rates;<br /><br />b) Bring the compensation of government personnel closer to their private counterparts to at least 70% of the median of the market for all salary grades;<br /><br />c) Eliminate overlaps in between salary grade allocations of government personnel to recognize differences in duties and responsibilities of the positions;<br /><br />d) Maximize the net take home pay of government personnel through the inclusion of additional benefits; and<br /><br />e) Strengthen the performance-based incentive system in recognition of government personnel who play a greater role and carry a heavier responsibility in attaining performance targets and delivering results.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.gov.ph/2016/02/19/executive-order-no-201-s-2016/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Executive Order</a> effects compensation adjustments for this year as an interim measure to implement Tranche 1 of the proposed SSL, the full year requirement for which has already been provided in the National Budget.<br /><br />For civilian government personnel, the EO effects the adoption of the same proposals in House Bill 6268 and Senate Bill 2671 for salary increase, the grant of the mid-year bonus equivalent to one month’s basic salary, and the Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) at P 5,000.<br /><br />Government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) not covered by the Governance Commission for GOCCs may implement the aforementioned compensation adjustments charged to their corporate funds.<br /><br />LGUs may also implement the compensation adjustments subject to the Personnel Services limitation under the law.<br /><br />For MUP, the EO effects the increase of Hazard Pay, and the grant of a substantial Provisional Allowance and an Officers’ Allowance in lieu of Base Pay increase. These two new allowances will approximate the additional remuneration had Base Pay been increased. The amounts of these allowances are also based on the proposed increases in Base Pay under the SSL 2015 bill. This is an interim measure until such time that a pension reform measure is passed in Congress that will mitigate the impact of pension indexation.<br /><br />The implementation of these compensation adjustments provided in the EO shall be effective January 1, 2016 with respect to all civilian and MUP personnel. <br /><br />With respect to regular members of the Cabinet, the effectivity is on July 1, 2016. For the President, Vice-President, and Members of Congress, the compensation adjustments shall take effect only after the expiration of the respective terms of the incumbents.<br /><br />"We trust that Congress will pass the SSL when it resumes so that the proposed compensation adjustments to be implemented in four tranches over four years will be permanent," Abad added.</div>

PNoy signs EO to increase salary of government employees

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Friday, February 19, 2016 signed the Executive Order to increase salary of government ...

14th month bonus set to be given to government employees

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">MANILA, Philippines  - A bonus equivalent to one month pay is scheduled to be given to government workers this June 2016, highlighting the need for the House and the Senate to break their impasse over a pay hike bill for state workers, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said today.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuswdjLtK0Y1x83fqUgKWtrZfv9CMBb7w-XNl7K_Vvoh26fBfqHtxPfViWjY2WSwRSb87wn8lDhye9GzdaGeqREd_xki_-w3ucFnb5F6ywnsTK0j1ZP6Jho6p0R3D4Ls3m0MQe0U_m5X3/s1600/14TH-month-pay-2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="14th month bonus set to be given to government employees" border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuswdjLtK0Y1x83fqUgKWtrZfv9CMBb7w-XNl7K_Vvoh26fBfqHtxPfViWjY2WSwRSb87wn8lDhye9GzdaGeqREd_xki_-w3ucFnb5F6ywnsTK0j1ZP6Jho6p0R3D4Ls3m0MQe0U_m5X3/s640/14TH-month-pay-2016.jpg" title="14th month bonus set to be given to government employees" width="560" /></a></div><br /><br />Recto said the proposed Salary Standardization Law IV for government workers provides for a 14th month pay to be given in the middle of the year.<br /><br />Under its section on "compensation system," the measure seeks the grant of a "a mid-year bonus equivalent to one month basic salary to be given not earlier than May of every year."<br /><br />"This mid-year bonus becomes the 14th month pay. The traditional 13th month pay being the year-end bonus," Recto said.<br /><br />"In the past, the 13th month pay was given in 'two gives.' Half in May or June, so that government employees will have money for the school enrolment of their children, and the balance in December. The SSL IV makes what is given mid-year and year-end equivalent to a full month pay each," Recto said.<br /><br />He said these two bonuses will be tax exempt for most state workers.<br /><br />By one estimate, both the 13th and 14th month bonuses of 970,943 employees - or 83% of total national government workforce - will be tax-exempt, Recto said.<br /><br />"There's research which shows that those in the Salary Grades (SG) 1 to 16 will get these bonuses tax-free," he said.<br /><br />"The mid-year bonus translates to an eight percent increase in the annual pay of government workers and, if early calculations are correct, they will be getting it without any tax deduction," Recto said.<br /><br />He added most employees holding SG 17 to 23 positions will also get their 13th month pay with no withholding tax.<br /><br />Recto is the principal author of Republic Act No. 10653 which adjusted the 13th-month pay and other benefits tax-exempt ceiling from P30,000 to P82,000.<br /><br />The SSL IV also retains the P5,000 Christmas cash gift for all government workers.<br /><br />In addition, the measure authorizes a "performance-based bonus" of up to two months salary which Recto said should be based "on conditions to be met, like meritorious service, exemplary performance and increase in productivity. While he admitted that the SSL IV has some weaknesses, "it, however, has many good provisions, like the 14th month pay."<br /><br />"This underscores the need for the House and the Senate to ratify SSL IV's final version, so it can be sent to the President for his signature, and so that payroll can be made," he said.<br /><br />At present, the SSL IV bill is caught in deadlock after the House and the Senate panels in the conference committee failed to resolve the issue on whether to include the pension of military retirees in the pay hike.<br /><br />The first tranche of the salary hike in SSL IV is supposed to be included in the January payroll of state workers.<br /><br />SSL IV spreads the pay adjustments over four years, with the first year costing P57.9 billion. Fully implemented, SSL IV will cost P225.8 billion a year.</div>

14th month bonus set to be given to government employees

MANILA, Philippines - A bonus equivalent to one month pay is scheduled to be given to government workers this June 2016, highlighting the n...

IN PHOTOS: Plane carrying Palace officials skids off Tacloban runway

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">TACLOBAN, Philippines - A private plane carrrying 11 government officials skidded off the runway of Tacloban International Airport in few minutes after Pope Francis departure on Saturday afternoon.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjHI6Qsqp45pzwXkgtsnpwf6PleKDEoQz8TkbYvI13K5vhi5WOQk-jR77wyuR0EcuP906uOInoqVAah6w2gP_XIFhqMCi37vKsPQiXKlwl_1okdXwdIAbgfhQM-9pybZsRTGj2w3G-ZFE/s1600/Plane-skids-off-tacloban-runway2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Private plane carrying cabinet officials skids off runway" border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjHI6Qsqp45pzwXkgtsnpwf6PleKDEoQz8TkbYvI13K5vhi5WOQk-jR77wyuR0EcuP906uOInoqVAah6w2gP_XIFhqMCi37vKsPQiXKlwl_1okdXwdIAbgfhQM-9pybZsRTGj2w3G-ZFE/s1600/Plane-skids-off-tacloban-runway2.jpg" title="Private plane carrying cabinet officials skids off runway" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Private plane carrying cabinet officials skids off runway | Credit: @jeffcanoy</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. were on board the Global Express Bombardier jet. Those on board also includes Undersecretary Emmanuel Bautista and the officials’ staff and security.<br /><br />Cabinet officials were in Tacloban for the Papal visit in Tacloban City, Leyte.<br /><br />Police official in Tacloban said all 11 people onboard the plane are safe.<br /><br />MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, who was on a separate plane, said the first plane was already taxiing and ready to take off when something happened.<br /><br />"Kapansin-pansin sa mga nanonood na nagbago ang arangkada ng eroplano," he said. <br /><br /><b>Here are some photos of the accident at Daniel Z. Romualdez airport in Tacloban City</b> (Photos courtesy of <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffcanoy/status/556340545123921920" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jeff Canoy via Twitter</a>)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHpqj9Cdxwf7FAoZXzp54DiWzOZXIBsBUeJk0bjCIHclHVsVYoFR73hYvT3P1FZYXsCxv9Ds1sC3deZySoIuWrIy4oZCL_622KUVRmfWK450gYbKfsBzdFVfs7SDdIy1WzE-c1zm5c-lY/s1600/Plane-skids-off-tacloban-runway1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Global Express Bombardier jet skids off runway" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHpqj9Cdxwf7FAoZXzp54DiWzOZXIBsBUeJk0bjCIHclHVsVYoFR73hYvT3P1FZYXsCxv9Ds1sC3deZySoIuWrIy4oZCL_622KUVRmfWK450gYbKfsBzdFVfs7SDdIy1WzE-c1zm5c-lY/s1600/Plane-skids-off-tacloban-runway1.jpg" title="Global Express Bombardier jet skids off runway" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LI2-TlwJtDFh549W9oPLvSKC6xk-P0GnuM1j5hfnn5unX3QA9GZ_tIjBn6-sUFoXRGQDA0tGA8dQgWRYBhS4GnEjiKLXOLRnm_TE76YJQjQufAGibsdWsSx-AWEUU3lfmGFp0ztmGqQM/s1600/Plane-skids-off-tacloban-runway3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Global Express Bombardier jet skids off runway" border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LI2-TlwJtDFh549W9oPLvSKC6xk-P0GnuM1j5hfnn5unX3QA9GZ_tIjBn6-sUFoXRGQDA0tGA8dQgWRYBhS4GnEjiKLXOLRnm_TE76YJQjQufAGibsdWsSx-AWEUU3lfmGFp0ztmGqQM/s1600/Plane-skids-off-tacloban-runway3.jpg" title="Global Express Bombardier jet skids off runway" width="560" /></a></div><br />Tacloban officials at the airport said they heard what seemed like an explosion on one of the tires before the rented plane by government skidded the runway.<br /><br />Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda in a statement said that passengers of the plane did not sustain any injuries and families of those on board have also been notified that the passengers are safe.<br /><br />“The President was happy to hear that all on board were safe and directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to investigate whether the proximate cause of the incident was weather-related or otherwise,” Lacierda said.<br /><br />PAGASA raised Storm Signal No. 2 over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Samar and Leyte including Biliran due to Tropical Storm Amang.</div>

IN PHOTOS: Plane carrying Palace officials skids off Tacloban runway

TACLOBAN, Philippines - A private plane carrrying 11 government officials skidded off the runway of Tacloban International Airport in few mi...