FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by SENATOR GREGORIO B. HONASAN I1 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIII, Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution affirms that, "The State shall afford full 
protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full 
employment opportunities for all. 
It shall guarantee the rights of all workers to self- 
organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including 
the right to strike in accordance with law. They shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane 
conditions of work, and a living wage. xxx" Consistent with this constitutional mandate, it is the 
duty of Congress to provide for a wage that could sustain the basic standards of living 
necessary for the health, efficiency and general well-being of the worker and his/her family. 
However, the current wages of workers in government service are hardly sufficient to 
make both ends meet. The basic pay of a government worker could be as low as Five thousand 
five'hundred ninety pesos (Php5, 590.00) per month. The 2006 study of the IBON Foundation 
showed that the cost of living for a family of five in the National Capital Region (NCR) is around 
Seventeen thousand two hundred thirty six pesos (Phpl7, 236.00) a month or around Five 
hundred seventy-five pesos (Php575.00) a day. This is an appalling reality considering that the 
workers in the public sector are responsible for the daily operations of the National 
Government. 
The unabated increase in the prices of petroleum products which contribute to the 
continuing escalation of prices of the basic commodities and the multiple tax liabilities the 
worker has to pay have substantially diminished his purchasing power. 
These economic 
realities have left the poor worker even more impoverished. 
This bill proposes a Three Thousand Pesos (Php 3,000.00) across-the-board increase in 
the monthly wage and salary rates of employees in the public sector. Although this amount 
would not fully cover the increase in the cost of daily living, it would certainly augment the 
income of the worker to support the basic needs of his/her family. /) 
B. HONASAN I1 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
',.I 
,:i 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
i.? 
L- 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by SENATOR GREGORIO B. HONASAN 11 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A THREE THOUSAND PESOS (P3, 000.00) ACROSS-THE- 
BOARD INCREASE I N  THE MONTHLY WAGE AND SALARY RATES OF 
EMPLOYEES I N  THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted b y  the Senate and the House of Representatives of the PhifipDines in 
Conaress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Public Sector 
Workers' Across-the-Board Increase Compensation Act of 2008". 
Sec. 2. Declaration of policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
help augment government personnel income in times of economic difficulties, 
guarantee employee's right to a living wage, promote social justice, ensure prosperity 
and free people from poverty through policies that provide for a decent and humane 
standard of living and improved quality of life for all. 
Sec. 3. Coverage - I n  line with the declared policy under this Act, an across- 
the-board monthly salary increase of Three Thousand Pesos (P3, 000.00) shall be 
granted to all employees, whether permanent, temporary, emergency, contractual or 
casual of the National Government, its agencies and instrumentalities including the 
Local Government Units (LGUs). 
Sec. 4. Funding Source - The amount needed to implement this Act with 
respect to the National Government shall be charged to the appropriations set aside for 
the purpose in the 2009 General Appropriations Act and to the savings generated by 
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the different departments, bureaus, offices, and agencies. Hereafter, such amounts as 
are needed shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
For Government-Owned-and-Controlled-Corporations, the amount shall come 
from their respective corporate funds. 
For LGUs, the amount shall be charged against their respective funds. The 
Department of Budget and Management shall allocate sufficient funds to LGUs 
especially those cities and municipalities classified as third class and below that lack 
sufficient funds to implement this Act. 
Sec. 5. 
Implementing guidelines - The Department of Budget and 
Management shall, within sixty (60) days after its approval, prepare and issue the 
necessary guidelines to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
Sec. 6. Separability Clause - If any provision or part of this Act or the 
application thereof to any person or circumstance shall be declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or the application of such provision or part 
thereof to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. 
Sec. 7. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, 
or modified accordingly. 
Sec. 8. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved, 
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