PNoy wants gov't workers' salaries to match 70% of private employees' pay

MANILA, Philippines - Government employees' salaries should be equal to at least 70 percent of the pay received by their counterparts in the private sector, President Benigno Aquino III said.

During the thanksgiving celebration and national assembly of the Tarlac First Baptist Church on Sunday, Aquino lamented the huge gap between the salaries of government employees and private workers once they are promoted.

"The minute na ma-promote ang isang kawani ng gobyerno at ma-promote 'yung kanyang katumbas sa private sector, palaki nang palaki ang agwat ng kanilang suweldo," Aquino said.

The president maintained that the government should increase the salaries of its workers so they could be on par with private employees.

"Ang hinahabol po nitong mungkahing Salary Standardization Law 4 ay mailapit naman natin 'yung suweldo ng nasa gobyerno doon sa pribadong sektor. Maabot man lang natin ‘yung 70% ng suweldo ng private sector," he said.

Aquino said the proposed salary increase in the public sector aims to make government employees and offices more competitive.

He added that higher pay will for public employees will attract and retain talent in the government.

"Makatwiran naman ho sigurong pantayan natin hanggang kaya ‘yung suweldong puwedeng makuha sa ibang lugar para naman po mapanatili," Aquino said.

In August, Aquino said proposed salary increase for government employees could be approved next year.

Earlier, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said a total of P50.6 billion was included in the proposed P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016 for the possible increase in the salaries of government workers.

This would translate to an average P3,000 a month increase in the salary of each of the 1.3 million public employees. - Louis Bacani