Drilon wants pay hike for gov't workers this Valentine’s

MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party vice chairman and Senate President Franklin Drilon reiterated yesterday his call to President Aquino to sign an executive order that will increase the salaries of government employees at least for this year as a Valentine’s gift.

“Pang-Valentine’s gift siguro ng ating Pangulo sa maga kawani ng pamahalaan (the President’s Valentine’s gift for state workers), on Valentine’s Day he should, I urge him to grant these increases, so that we can address this need,” he added.

The executive order would grant salary increases to 1.5 million government workers, as alternative to the stalled Salary Standardization Law IV (SSL4).

Drilon said Budget Secretary Florencio Abad has submitted to President Aquino the certification on the availability of funds appropriated under the 2016 budget.

Under the implementation of Tranche 1 of the SSL, Congress has appropriated P57.91 billion in the 2016 budget to cover the requirement.

Drilon also saw the need to look into the Social Security System (SSS) in relation to the proposed increase in the pension of retired private sector workers.

“Now, given what we have seen, I ask the officials of the Social Security Commission: Please, on bended knees, on behalf of our retirees, pag-aralan niyo po kung paano madadagdagan ang pension ng ating SSS pensioners without causing danger to the fund life being shortened,” Drilon said. 

“I am sure that they can afford, or the system can absorb, an increase in the pensions,” he added.

If the SSS cannot give a go signal for the proposed P2,000, Drilon said the SSS executives can recommend a viable amount which they can approve.

“Probably not the P2,000, but for heaven’s sake, our pensioners need help. Perhaps some increase in the pension, how much is reasonable to protect both the fund life and our 30 million SSS members, and at the same time, respond to the needs of our pensioners,” Drilon said.

Abad said yesterday that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) would submit to President Aquino a formal recommendation to issue an executive order to grant salary increases for over 1.5 million state workers this year. – With Paolo Romero