Press Release
September 2, 2009

INCREASE SALARY FOR NAPOCOR STAFF--ANGARA

Sen. Edgardo J. Angara is calling for a 10% increase in the salary of National Power Corporation employees, saying it is tantamount to the people's needs and to allow them to maximize their purchasing power and stimulate spending.

In his Sponsorship Speech at the Senate session today, Sen. Angara refers to Committee Report 562 to raise the current wage levels in accordance with the Salary Schedule Approved by the Office of the President for TRANSCO, PSALM and NPC Employees.

"While congressional approval is necessary to implement the power sector compensation plan as far as NPC is concerned, this is not required with Psalm and Transco. Ironically, NPC has to go to Congress before it gets a salary increase to comply with the requirement we ourselves imposed under the General Appropriations Act of 2008 and 2009," asserts Sen. Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance.

There have been repeated calls from various sectors to increase their salary levels. The government has since taken steps to raise salary levels in many government agencies, and has proposed legislations to formalize this move.

Sen. Angara adds, "We owe it to our 4,000 employees of the NAPOCOR and their families. For seven months now, we hear muffled howls from them who feel prejudiced and discriminated against by the long wait, knowing fully well that their counter parts - PSALM and TRANSCO - have started enjoying the benefits of salary increase as early as March 2009. We must rectify this. Unfair treatment breeds demoralization, and is offensive to our commitment to equal treatment before the law."

Since 2008, two waves of salary increase legislations have passed. Sen. Angara authored the Salary Standardization Law III this year in a move to implement the government's new pay scheme. Overall, national government employees received an average compounded increase of 99.23% as compared to the measly 10% increase previously approved by the President, subject matter of the instant resolution.

Sen. Angara concludes, "We need to do this to attract the best and brightest employees, and they deserve a highly competitive package that would further motivate them to do their best at work and be at par even with experts in the private sector."

News Latest News Feed