Philippine Education

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has proposed a P10,000 Christmas bonus for 1.67 million state workers. 

DBM Secretary Florencio Abad said the holiday bonus, in the form of a Productivity Enhancement Incentive, will cost P11.68 billion. 

This is on top of half of the regular yearend bonus totaling P27.82 billion in the form of half of the 13th month pay and cash gift of P5,000, which is already being given to government employees until the end of the month, according to Abad.

“Our improved expenditure and deficit management will allow the national government to authorize the grant of additional bonus to government personnel on top of what they regularly receive,” the DBM chief said. 

This time, the national government will shoulder in full the P10,000 holiday bonus. In the past, P7,000 came from the national government while the P3,000 came  from the savings of concerned local agencies.

Last Saturday, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” B. Coloma Jr. assured that the Aquino adminustration had allotted sufficient funds for the Christmas bonus of all government employees especially now that the Yuletide season has started.

Coloma said that the much anticipated extra income by the civil servants would surely be released at a most proper time to provide additional support to their needs this Christmas season.

“Sa pagkaalam ko po ay mayroon namang nakalaan na pondo para diyan, hindi naman po ipagkakait iyan… tiyak na sa takdang panahon ay ipagkakaloob sa kanila (government employees) ang mga biyayang nararapat lamang na matanggap nila lalong-lalo na sa kapaskuhan,” Coloma said.

When asked when the bonus will be released, Coloma said the probability was within the second week of December.

“Kung ang pagbabatayan ay iyong nakaraang taon, siguro bago sumapit ang kalagitnaan ng buwan (December) matatanggap na yan,” Coloma said.

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/18332/dbm-proposes-p10k-christmas-bonus-for-govt-workers