MANILA — Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has sought the Department of Budget (DBM) and Commission on Audit’s (COA) help in the creation of a technical working group (TWG) to draft the guidelines for the release of funds meant to augment the salaries and overtime pay of Bureau of Immigration employees.
Aguirre said he signed a letter on March 1 addressed to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and COA Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo who were invited to form on March 13 a technical working group (TWG) to draft the guidelines for the release of the funds.
“Ang guidelines na isusulat ng TWG ang magsisilbing susi para po dito. Samahan nyo kami na ito ay magawa ng maayos para sa inyong mas mabuting kapakanan (The guideline of the TWG will be pave the way for this. So join us to work this out properly for everyone’s welfare),” Aguirre said.
He said the creation of the TWG is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s Veto Message in the 2018 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“I will allow the establishment of a trust fund to be constituted from the express lane fees and charges collected by the BI for the payment of salaries and overtime to employees of the BI under the Department of Justice (DOJ)-BI, Special Provision No. 1, “Immigration Fees and Collections,” Volume I-A, page 1062, subject to such guidelines as the Secretary of Justice, the Secretary of Budget and Management, and the Commission on Audit may promulgate,” the President said in his veto message.
Aguirre asked BI employees to be more patient in getting a bump in their much needed extra pay.
“Kaunti pa pong pag-unawa at paghihintay ang ating hiling sa lahat. Gusto ko pong ipabatid sa lahat na ang inyong abang lingkod, noon pa man, ay kasama ninyo sa labang ito para sa inyong nararapat na bahagi sa BI ELF. (I am requesting for more understanding and patience from everyone. I want to let you know that I’m with you in securing your benefits from BI ELF),” he said.
The BI is one of the attached agencies of the Department of Justice. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
