GOVERNMENT employees will start receiving their respective salary increases within the year following the approval of the guidelines for the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) VI.
In a press conference, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said they have already signed the National Budget Circular and Local Budget Circular in accordance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s order, which signals government agencies to start the implementation of the salary implementation of its employees.
She said the salary increase will be funded by the agency's personal services funds, which will be augmented by the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF).
“We have earmarked P36 billion under the MPBF for the implementation of the first tranche of SSL VI this year. Meanwhile, in the 2025 National Expenditure Program, we have allocated some P70 billion, also under the MPBF, for the second tranche and adjustments of the first tranche,” said Pangandaman.
The first tranche of the SSL VI will have an average increase of 4.41 percent for salary grades (SGs) 1 to 31, which includes about 84.33 percent of government employees.
This will bring the minimum basic salary under SG1 up by P530 to P13,530, with the increase for SG1 to SG10 between 4.0 and 5.20 percent, while 4.50 to 5.60 percent for the professional level or SG11 to SG24.
Managerial levels or SGs 25 to 28 will have an increase ranging from 4.15 to 4.40 percent, while executive levels or SGs 29 to 31 will have a 2.65 to 3.90 percent increase.
Top leaders or SGs 31 to 33 will have about 2.35 to 2.40 percent increases.
The updated salary schedule applies to all civilian government personnel in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches; Constitutional Commissions and other Constitutional Offices, including Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) and local government units.
The salary increase is retroactive to January 1, 2024 and will be implemented in four tranches.
Marcos also earlier said that government employees will receive an annual medical allowance not exceeding P7,000 as a subsidy for the availment of health maintenance organization-type benefits starting January 2025. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)