Sen. Marcos Backs Calls For More Equitable Pay Hike Law For Gov't Workers

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr. today backed calls for changes in the proposed Salary Standardization Law IV for a more equitable pay hike rate for all public servants.

"There is no dispute over the need to grant our public servants additional pay. What troubles me is the huge disparity in the rate increases for the rank-and-file compared to high-ranking officials," Marcos clarified.

A teacher's group earlier noted that the bill grants only around 12 percent pay hike to entry-level teachers over a period of four years yet awards around 150 percent increase in the salary of Legislators, Cabinet Members, the Vice-President and President.

"It gives more to those who are already getting huge salaries and less to those who are really in need of a bigger pay---the ordinary government workers," Marcos lamented.

The Senator pointed out that under the bill the lowest-ranked public employee or Salary Grade 1 receiving P9,000 per month will get an increase of only P2, 068 over four years or just about P500 per year.

In contrast, Lawmakers or those under Salary Grade 30 and getting P78, 946 per month will get an increase of P96, 238 or P24, 059 per year. It is even bigger for the President who will get a pay increase of P268, 096 or P67, 024 per year.

"We need to set our priorities right and provide a more equitable rate of pay increases. Unfortunately we have very little time to do that now and the Bicameral Conference Committee is possibly the only chance we can do that," Marcos said.

"Another option is to work for the amendment of the law under the next Administration," he added.

On Tuesday the Senate reopened consideration of the proposed SSL or Senate Bill No. 2671 to give way to the proposals of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile to include retired military personnel in its coverage but the same was approved later on second reading.

Marcos said he is studying the effect of changes in the proposed pay hike rates on the P57 billion fund under the approved 2016 Budget for the first year of implementation of SSL IV and the revenue requirements for the next three years.

"While we need to have a fair rate hike for government workers we must also ensure our projected revenues can support such scheme and that we are not merely raising false expectations," Marcos concluded.