Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7197

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE,

ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. ANTONIO L. TINIO and Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. EMMI A. DE JESUS and Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,
ANAKPAWIS Rep. ARIEL B. CASILAO,
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT
INCREASING THE MONTHLY SALARIES OF ALL GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES, RAISING THE MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARY IN
GOVERNMENT TO P16,000, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

What more should government employees do for government to heed what they have long been
fighting for in protests in the streets and lobbying for in Congress, what they have repeatedly
aired and emphasized publicly through interviews, sit-down strikes, and black armbands and
shirts and other campaigns in the mainstream and social media—their just demand for
substantial salary increases?

‘The lowest-paid in the civil service is hard put daily, thinking of how he or she can stretch

10,510! for all 30 days of the month. This salary, which will be increased by a mere P558 in
the fourth and last tranche next year, together with the P2,000 Personnel Economic Relief
Allowance (PERA), is only a little over a third of the family living wage of P1,171°—the
amount needed by a family of six, or the average size of low-income families—to get by

comprise the majority in the civilian bureaucracy, are in the same sinking boat, as their pay
amounts to just around half of the family living wage. They are frequently told that their only
problem is poor financial management, but what is there to manage when those supposed
finances are quickly drained away by taxes, by their needs which grow more and more
expensive every day, and—in the case of some employees like teachers, nurses, and doctors—
even by the necessities in their work which should be provided by the government?

+ Executive Order 201 s. 2016, Modified Salary Schedule for Salary Grade 1 Third Tranche
2 Dutertenomics and Dictatorship, Thwarting Democracy, IBON Economic and Political Briefing, January 19,
2018


Government employees” struggle for salary increases for all—that is, for both civilian and
military and uniformed personnel (MUP)—is waged together with the struggle of workers and
employees in the private sector for a national minimum wage of P750 per day. The highest
‘minimum wage out of the more than 1,000 wage levels across the country, which is PS12° for
non-agricultural workers in the National Capital Region, is only 44% of the family living wage.
A minimum wage of P750 per day for all regions and industries nationwide, though still
insufficient to meet the family living wage, will bring significant relief especially to low-
earning families.

In the same vein, a national minimum wage of P16,000, if factored together with the PERA,
will reach a little over than half of the family living wage, and will sufficiently cover it with
two eamers in the family.

‘These tandem struggles for a living wage and just remuneration for their work, along with the
fight for lower taxes, have never been let go by employees and workers in the public and private
sectors. Unfortunately, it has never been sufficiently addressed by the government. The last
pay adjustment happened seven years after the passage of the Salary Standardization Law 3,
through Executive Order 201, series of 2016. However, itis widely criticized as it grants measly
increases quickly eaten away by taxes and inflation and gives more to those who already have
more, and far less to those who have less.

‘The refusal to provide substantial salary increases to ensure that the people can afford the
standards of a decent life is part of the general neoliberal framework of the government of
scrimping on funds needed to ensure the proper and humane operation of government offices
and institutions, especially those in the providing vital social services and public institutions
like schools and hospitals.

This bill is an expression of the struggle of all government workers and employees—both
civilian and military and uniformed—for salaries that could afford for them and their families
a decent living.

Immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

hgh MSA

Bayan Muna Partylist

vt Rep. TRO

ACT Teachers Partylist ACT Yachers list

> htm



Rep. EMMI A. DH JESUS
Gabriela Women's Party

Rep. ARIEL B. CASILAO
Anakpawis Partylist

rield/ Women’s Party

Rep. ANE L. ELAGO.
Kabdtaah Partylist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7197

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by BAYAN MUNA Rep. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE,

ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. ANTONIO L. TINIO and Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. EMMI A. DE JESUS and Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,
ANAKPAWIS Rep. ARIEL B. CASILAO,
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT
INCREASING THE MONTHLY SALARIES OF ALL GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES, RAISING THE MINIMUM MONTHLY SALARY IN
GOVERNMENT SERVICE TO P16,000, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
‘THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to alleviate
the living conditions of government employees, to guarantee employees’ right toa living wage,
and to ensure optimal public service by according sufficient budgetary priority to the human
resource aspect in the running of government agencies and institutions.

SECTION 2. Raising of the minimum salaries of regular employees in government. —
‘The present salary of a regular entry-level position in government service shall not be less than
Sixteen Thousand Pesos (P16,000) a month. The salaries of those occupying higher positions
shall be adjusted accordingly.

SECTION 3. Periodic review for salary increases. —The Department of Budget and
Management is hereby mandated to conduct a periodic review of the salaries of all government
employees, taking into account inflation and the prevailing prices of basic commodities and
services.

SECTION 4. Rules and Regulations. — The Department of Budget and Management shall
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this
Act.

SECTION 5. Appropriations. — The amounts necessary to carry out the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the
agencies. Thereafter, the amounts necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 6. Separability Clause. — If for any reason any section or provision of this Act


is declared unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. — Any laws, decrees, or laws, decrees, or rules and
regulations which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby
amended or repealed.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the publication
in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,