salary increase

Sen. Bam to DBM: Don’t resort to delaying tactics, use MPBF to cover 1st month of salary hike

Instead of resorting to delaying tactics, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) must look for ways to deliver the government’s obligation to increase salary of its workers, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.

“Kung ayaw may dahilan, kung gusto may paraan,” said Sen. Bam as renewed his call to the DBM to use the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) for the salary hike of government workers.

“Delay is not an option. The Budget Department should find ways to deliver on its duty to implement the fourth tranche of salary increase for public servants,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam contended that the MPBF is enough to cover the first month of the fourth and final part of the salary increase for government workers under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).

In the 2018 budget, the MPBF is close to P100 billion while the salary increase requirement for January 2019 is less than P5 billion.

“Hindi naman natin hinihingi sa DBM na pondohan ang buong taon kundi ibigay lang ang unang buwan ng umento sa sahod habang inaantay na maipasa ng Senado ang 2019 national budget bago matapos ang Enero,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam said the salary increase could ease the burden of Tuesday’s oil price hike due to increase in world oil prices that could lead to further rise in prices of goods.

“Huwag na sanang pag-antayin ng DBM ang mga manggagawa sa gobyerno. Napakalaking tulong ng salary increase para sa ating government workers para kayanin ang pagtaas ng presyo ng langis at lalo pang pagmahal ng presyo ng bilihin,” added the senator.

On Monday, Sen. Bam filed a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the DBM should utilize the MPBF for the fourth instalment of the salary increase for government workers.

Aside from Sen. Bam, fellow opposition senators –Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Antonio Trillanes, Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros – signed Resolution No. 982.

In his Resolution, Sen. Bam insisted that the DBM is authorized to release and pay the salary increase immediately, without the need for further approval from Congress.

Sen. Bam: Pass Bawas Presyo Bill, fix TRAIN Law on top of wage increase

The P25 salary increase for National Capital Region (NCR) cannot stand alone and should be coupled with efforts to lower prices of goods, including the suspension of excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, according to Sen. Bam Aquino. 
 
“Parehong dagdag kita at bawas presyo ang kailangan ng ating mga kababayan. Bigyan natin ng sapat na ginhawa ang mga Pilipinong nalulunod sa pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain, bigas at iba pang bilihin,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law. 
 
“Gawing prayoridad na sana ng Kongreso ang pagpasa sa Bawas Presyo Bill para maayos naman kahit kaunti ang TRAIN Law at mabawasan ang pasan ng Pilipino,” added Sen. Bam, who is the only senator to file a measure seeking to amend the TRAIN Law. 
 
Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill 1798 or the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill in May 2018 to add a safeguard to the TRAIN Law that allows for the suspension in the collection of excise tax on fuel should the inflation rate surpass the country’s predicted target for three consecutive months. 
 
“Kung ipasa ang Bawas Presyo Bill at tanggalin ang excise tax sa petrolyo sa TRAIN Law, hanggang P87 kada araw ang dagdag sa kita ng ating mga jeepney driver,” said Sen. Bam, adding that this would be enough for PUV drivers to buy two kilos of rice per day for their families. 
 
Sen. Bam also said that reducing the cost of petroleum products would not only affect fare prices but would also have an indirect effect on the prices of food and other goods in the market. 
 
“Magandang regalo ngayong Pasko ang tulong sa pagbababa ng presyo ng bilihin. Kaya itutuloy ko sa Senado ang paninindigan para sa Bawas Presyo Bill upang ayusin ang TRAIN Law,” said Sen. Bam, who continues to stand by his no-vote on the TRAIN Law.
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