TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. of the Department of Budget and
Management revealed that the Civil Service Commission and the
Department of Budget and Management are pushing for the passage of a
new wage bill for government employees.
The Civil Service Commission
and the Department of Budget and Management, Secretary Andaya said, is
set to introduce and lead efforts to drumbeat support for the passage
of the proposed Wage Bill, which designs a compensation and benefits
program for all state workers.
Secretary Andaya who was in
Tacloban yesterday, made the revelation during the Press Conference
conducted by PIA for the launching of the PX Commissary in Region 8.
He said that he is hoping
that the new wage bill will be passed this year and that it will be
effective starting next year and fully implemented after four years or
in 2010. With the passage of the Wage Bill comes the standardization
of salaries in the government agencies. From the salary grades which
total to thirty three (33), there will only be twenty two (22) salary
grades, Secretary Andaya said.
It could be recalled that
the government employees have not been given an increase in their
compensation for the past several years. They have only been given
non-wage benefits like the PX Commissary where government employees
will be able to avail of basic commodities at a cheaper price.
The last financial incentive
is the granting of P3,000.00 additional allowance for the government
employees.
Secretary Andaya’s
revelation comes as good news for the workers in government. Some
government employees expressed optimism that this will be passed in
Congress.
Others opined that the
government employees all over the country must lobby with their
respective congressmen so that they will vote favorably for the
passage of the administration bill.
