Philippine Government to Raise Salaries of Government Employees
Finally the Government is doing something sensible and smart – raising the salaries and wages of Government employees to a competitive level. The Department of Budget Management (DBM) through its Head, Sec. Rolando Andaya has endorsed to Congress a proposal to increase next year’s budget for Government Services, amounting to Php426 Billion, or 42.3Billion pesos up from the budget allocated this year.
This will translate to an increase for Grade Level 1 10 (thanks to Promdiliving for the correction) Government employees (ex. entry level Teachers, Nurses) from the current salary of Php12,000 to about Php18,000 – at least a bit competitive to entry level in the Call Center Industry.
Would this be enough? Probably not, but at least it should help. Still Government salaries is among the lowest in the Philippines – an ironic reality when in fact running the government is much more like running a business. Yes it has become a business – a business of getting kickbacks and graft on most government projects for politicians and government officials. No wonder even our Policemen and Military suffered major credibility problems – when some of their members directly involved in crimes and illegal activities just to “augment” their financial resources.
While it is an unacceptable reasoning, still low income, which is most of the time not enough to cover basic needs have enticed some policemen to be “creative” in the streets. Low government salaries made the teachers got buried in debts from loan sharks and opportunist lenders, forced government health workers (doctors, nurses) to seek employment overseas as helpers, caregivers, or nursing aids.
Other countries like Singapore have programs that ensure its government officials, the police, the public school teacher and every government employee is well taken cared of. And giving higher salaries and benefits are the key. Can the Philippine Government afford to raise the salaries of its government workers to a comfortable level? Do we have the money? The answer is a big yes. The question is priority. Is the Government allocating a bigger chunk of its budget for the government workers? The answer is no – because budget is limited – which is a total stupidity.
The Government can afford allocating Billions of pesos as “pork barrel” or allowances to Senators and Congressmen, and a big portion goes to corruption. Lots of money were lost in uncollected taxes, smuggled items and kickbacks. We have lots of money – but sadly, most of these money go to the hand of the few.
Imagine if we get rid of those pork barrel allowances and instead, have a centralized purchasing and funding of projects. What if we raise the salaries of government workers to a level that they can be comfortable. What if we utilize the IT Solutions to systemic problems like tax collection and processing of documents and get rid of red tapes and unnecessary processes. What if the Government has Political Will and is not beholden to certain individuals.
These things are a fantasy – that each Filipino will continue to dream about everyday until his last breath to the next generation till kingdom come. Those would be the words of people in total surrender, of defeatism, of hopelessness. Or we can choose to stand and make a difference – and make sure that the next election, we support people who have political will, who have genuine interest for service and real change.
This is where bloggers can contribute – let’s search and seek out the deserving Filipinos to lead, lets educate our fellow citizens about being wise in their choices, and let Politics be an arena for public service and not of personalities and clans. In the coming days, a new site www.ThePresidentiables.com will be launched and will feature every aspiring Filipino Presidentiable – all of his qualifications and credentials. Let’s start early, let’s seek the best Leader that will lead us to prosperity.
Peace.
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12K salaries for level 1 govt employees maybe true in Manila but not in provinces. It is sad to say the politicians get the big chunk of the people’s money and only a little left for services and improving the lives of the govt employees – which is becoming even more un rewarding. We dont have even chances to become heads of our departments – it is all about connections and “palakasan”. Sayang lang ang aming pinaguran na Civil Service career – napupunta din sa mga may pina padrino sa gobyerno.
Kailangan ang pagbabago ng sistema. Kailangan ang makabagong paraan ng pakikibaka. Kailangan ang totohanang reporma ng gobyerno at ng bayan.
This is one of the major reasons why many of us are leaving the country and sacrifice their time with their families.
Guess what, I think it is not the government’s problem alone. It is the so-called “masa” that is killing us. Why? most of them do not pay taxes not to mention the new law that the minimum wage earner now is not entitled to taxation.
How about the slight higher to the minimum wage earners? Pano naman kami?
Ang masakit, sila pa ang anak ng anak pero di naman nag-iisip.
Corruption? Kahit saang bansa, meron nyan! Ang kaibahan lang tinatapos muna yung project saka nanawakan. At least, quality ang project kaya di masyado halata. Di tulad sa atin, pati gawa ng iba ninanakaw natin – piracy I mean. Ang iba naman sa atin, akala natin mas nakakatipid pag pirated ang binibili.
Ang bottom line, tayong lahat ang may kasalanan kung bat tayo naghihirap.
Sorry sa haba ng comment, na-carried away lang po! lol!
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Ka Roger @ Nancy, I could feel how you guys look at this issue. Angel is right, anywhere in the world, there’s always corruption, but at least, they made sure services are delivered. Pardon me for saying that personally, a prefer a dictatorial rule or close to that, just like what they did in SG, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam – look at them, they have overtaken the Philippines on everything incl. progress. Masama man sabihin pero okay na un nangnakaw pero may na i deliver naman kesa nanakawan kana, lahat ng pde kunin nanakawin pa, pati kanin nasa kamay mo isusubo mo na, inaagaw pa.
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What’s wrong with you people? You rely everything on government including your progress? At least you have a job and besides, you’re in the government service and public service is a priority over self.
Grow up!
LOL @ Makabayan, with due respect, the govt workers are not public servants but just like most Filipinos, employees. They deserve to earn a decent living, being able to provide comfort to their families – work and good pay always come together. That is why if they think being employed in the government is not worthwhile, they always have the option to leave and seek other employment, here or abroad.
You must be referring to govt officials who are mostly Appointed and not Career Government Executives.
Correction lang po, Baka you mean Salary Grade Level 10. Nurse I and Teacher I are both Salary Grade Level 10. A salary Grade Level 1 are Laborers and they earn a measly P5,082.
Well, it’s really sad how government employees are paid. But that’s not an excuse to steal from the coffers of the government. If you get that much then spend even less. It’s poor personal finance that make us poor not how much we are paid.
Thanks po Ms. Gladita. Have done the proper corrections.
Thanks for visiting. Hehehe
[...] week, Government Officials from the Malacanang thru the DBM proposed an increase of wages and salaries of government workers. Some officials also hinted that because of the low salary of the Philippine President as mandated [...]
if that pushes thru, i’ll be one of the many gov’t workers who will be benefited. but i hope they implement it across the board so that gov’t workers in the countryside will also feel the changes.i also hope all gov’t agencies implement the same salary rates according to salary grade levels, with no questionable deductions or manipulations whatsoever.
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makabayan is not at all makabayan o loving his poor countryman. he loves only himself. kung makaranas ka sana ng gutom malamn mo kung daopat my increase dapat salary mga employee ng government. MAKASARILI KA.
LOl@ Angry – bagay din sayo avatar mo, galit!
Easy. Thanks for dropping by.
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Yes, this is really a great this from the government. I mean government is doing atleast these thing to help us people a lot.Thanks for mentioning in your website and helping out people who want to apply for grants.
Sorry, but ‘am really sad about our government system which only the rich who will become richer and the poor will become poorer. True, because our system of government does not focus on what will uplift the poor…. Its sad to note that what the government is doing instead of helping the low wage earner or the poorest of the poor, the more we become poorer… Our lawmakers are just making themselves more richer thru enjoying their pork barrel allocations…. but how much will be implemented in the infrastructure projects? Today in Mindanao, almost all the national highways were under construction- asphalting/cementing because of the upcoming election for 2010.
Good if we will win LOTTo!!!! but i guess these should be look into– the change of our government system…. jane of mindanao
lugi talagang mga low wage earner kasi hindi accross the board ang increase eh…ang mga empleyadong mataas ang sweldo, mas lalo pang tumaas…dapat pagtutuonang pansin ang mga magtuturo..sila ang dapat pahalagahang at dapat pataasin ang sahod,,,kasi modelo sila nga estudyante eh..papaano sila susundin ng kanilang mga mag aaral na mismo ang mga guro,,wala namang kaperapera…so isa yan sa maging dahilan na hindi nalang sila mag-aral kc mahirap parin,,kahit may trabaho na….
tataas nga ang sweldo,tataas din ang taxes namin,parang wala din nadagdag,kaya tambak ng loan ang mga teachers,tapos imbes maturo dami pa reports na pinapagawa!
I concur with you that the government should prioritize raising the salaries of government employees. Raising the salaries would result in the following:
1. Attract the best and the brightest to join our government.
– by having attractive salaries, the cream of the crop will be enticed to
join the government.
2. Government employees will think twice in doing any monkey business
since they already have competitive salaries.
– based on the nature of human, if he is hungry then his instinct to seek
for food, sometimes at any cost.. but can you imagine a person who
is full? would you think he would still be tempted to eat no matter how delicious the food offered will be. And so, if a government employee if very satisfied with his salary, it would be very hard to tempt him.
nasa armed forces po father ko. regular po sana ang trabaho nya kaya lang po sa liit ng sweldo baka po ngaung christmas e wala na naman kami pang noche bwena. ang liit po ng bonus nila, kulang pa po pang tuition. at pang-araw araw namin.
kahit di na po taasan ang sweldo ng government employee, basta po dagdagan nalang ang mid-year bonus at christmas bonus, simple lang naman po kami, makakasurvive na po sa araw araw, kaya lang po baon sa utang pang tuition, kahit na po mahirap lang kami gusto rin namin makapa-aral sa magandang school,e pano po wala kaming pang tuition. matuwid na sundalo po tatay ko, ayaw ng curruption, i’m afraid baka matukso rin sya one day pag laging ganito!
ngayong pasko tama na muna ang kurakot nyo mga government officials! christmas bonus namin, 10k last october, pano naman po ang pasko namin! pinagtrabahuhan po namin yan. wag nyo na po kunin ang para sa amin para lahat tayo happy ngayong christmas! binaha na po kami nung september sana po biyaya naman ngayong december