Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by Representative Maria Rachel J. Arenas 
AN ACT INCREASING TO SIX THOUSAND PESOS (P6,000) THE MONTHLY 
PERSONNEL ECONOMIC RELIEF ALLOWANCE (PERA) GRANTED TO 
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Thirty-two years ago, the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) was conceived 
to replace the two thousand pesos (P2000.00) Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and to shield the 
salaries of public sector workers from the immense adverse impact of inflation brought about by 
two crippling oil price hikes in the latter part of 1990 and in anticipation of the economic fallout 
from the Gulf war. 
The PERA was also intended to help public sector workers cushion the increasing cost of 
living until the crisis then had subsided.  The financial crisis lingered and even got worse.  Thus, 
in order to improve the purchasing power of the peso, President Fidel Ramos signed 
Administrative Order No. 53 in 1993, implementing the grant of additional compensation in the 
amount of Five Hundred Pesos (500) per month to public school teachers, uniformed personnel or 
the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and extending the benefit 
to the rest of the workers of the bureaucracy. 
On June 17, 2009, Joint Resolution Number 4 mandated that the additional compensation 
in the amount of One Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P1,500) and the Five Hundred Pesos (P500) 
PERA, be collectively referred to as PERA in the amount of Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000). 
This bill seeks to increase the monthly PERA granted to public sector employees to Six 
Thousand Pesos (P6,000.) taking cognizance of the present-day economic realities to help 
supplement the public employees’ salaries in the midst of rising cost of living further aggravated 
by the COVID 19 pandemic.  Furthermore, increasing the monthly PERA will provide much 
needed relief amidst high inflation and increasing prices of commodities and utilities. 
Increasing PERA of public servants is a sincere recognition of the value of their contribution to 
the production and delivery of public services to the Filipino people, without which our democracy 
August 14, 2023
4:26 pm
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and sovereignty will be imperiled and our collective quest for peace, unity and prosperity cannot 
be realized. 
 MARIA RACHEL J. ARENAS 
 Representative 
     3rd District of the Province of Pangasinan 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by Representative Maria Rachel J. Arenas 
AN ACT INCREASING TO SIX THOUSAND PESOS (P6000) THE MONTHLY 
PERSONNEL ECONOMIC RELIEF ALLOWANCE (PERA) GRANTED TO 
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1.  Increase in Monthly Allowance. – The Personnel Economic Relief Allowance 
(PERA) granted to government employees is hereby increased from the present Two Thousand 
Pesos (P2,000) per month to Six Thousand Pesos (P6,000) per month effective January 1, 2024. 
Section 2.  Coverage. – The PERA shall be granted to civilian government employees 
whether employed by the national or local governments, state and local universities and colleges, 
appointive or elective, and whether occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions, whose 
positions are covered by Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the “Compensation and 
Position Classification Act of 1989,” as amended, as well as to uniformed personnel. 
Section 3.  Funding. – The funds necessary to implement the benefit herein authorized for 
national government employees shall be included in the annual general appropriations Act. 
For Local Government Units (LGUs), the benefit shall be charged against respective local 
funds and uniformly applied regardless of LGU classification.  Any deficiency shall be charged 
against the unexpended balances of CY 2024 appropriations of LGUS which are hereby authorized 
to be realigned for the purpose herein.  Thereafter, the amount shall be provided in their respective 
annual local budgets. 
For Government-Owned and/or Controlled Corporations, the benefits shall be charged 
against their respective corporate funds. 
Section 4.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty (30) days from the 
approval of this Act, the Department of Budget and Management shall issue the implementing 
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
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Section 5.  Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or portions 
thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
 
Section 6.  Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved.