Don’t hold hostage the salary increase of government employees and public school teachers!

Sen. Bam Aquino issued this call to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), saying the agency can tap the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) to finance the fourth tranche of the Salary Standardization Law in January 2019.

“Bakit kapag dagdag buwis mabilis pero pahirapan kapag dagdag sweldo ang usapan?” said Sen. Bam as he questioned the DBM’s continued refusal to use the fund for the salary increase of government workers. 

“Huwag naman po sanang gamiting hostage ng gobyerno ang umento sa sahod ng ating kaguruan para iratsada ang pagpasa ng budget sa Senado. Hindi po totoo na walang pagkukunan ng pondo para dito,” added Sen. Bam, vice chairman of the Committee on Finance.

The lawmaker said there’s no reason for the DBM not to release the salary increase, which can help government employees deal with the prevailing high prices of food and other goods.

”Dapat ibigay na ngayon ang dagdag sweldo sa ating public servants at public school teachers. Walang dahilan para ipagpaliban pa ito, lalo ngayong mahirap ang buhay dahil sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam intends to file a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that DBM can disburse the MPBF for the salary increase of government workers.

According to Sen. Bam, the 2018 re-enacted budget provides for a MPBF, which can be used to fund authorized personnel and benefit items, including pay increases.

“Ibig sabihin, maaari nang ibigay ng DBM ang umento sa sahod kahit wala pang clearance mula sa Kongreso. Hindi rin lalabag ang DBM sa Saligang Batas kapag ginamit ito sa dagdag-sahod ng ating mga lingkod bayan,” said Sen. Bam.