Bong Go pushes pay increase for government workers

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go is pushing for the passage of a new Salary Standardization Law (SSL) to increase the pay of civilian government workers.

Go filed Senate Bill 200 or the proposed “Act Modifying the Salary Schedule for Civilian Government Personnel” to include teachers and nurses.

Being a government employee himself for more than 20 years, Go said he sees the importance of protecting the welfare of ordinary government workers in order to achieve an efficient and responsive bureaucratic system.    

The bill seeks to amend the existing Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS), to increase salary grade 1 from the current rate of P11,068 to P11,656. Rates of succeeding salary grades will also increase accordingly.

The bill states that the increase is designed “to make CPCS even more competitive with the market rates,” and help the government in attracting, retaining and motivating highly competent and highly productive civil servants. 

The proposed pay increase shall apply to all civilian personnel in the executive, legislative and judicial branches, in the constitutional commissions, and other constitutional offices. 

Government-owned or controlled corporations and local government units are also allowed to implement the increase depending on their financial capabilities and other requirements. 

The bill will not include salary increases for the current president, vice president, senators and congressmen. Further excluded are “individuals whose services are engaged through job orders, contracts of service, consultancy contracts and service contracts with no employer-employee relationship.