By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — Government workers will soon be receiving the fourth and last tranche of their salary hike despite the delay in the passage of the proposed 2019 budget.
This, after Malacañang released an executive order (EO) modifying the salary schedule for civilian government personnel and authorizing the grant of additional benefits for both civilian and military and uniformed personnel.
Executive Order 76 was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, by authority of the President on March 15, but a copy of which was released to media only on Wednesday (March 20).
“Considering that by the end of FY 2018, the FY 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is still pending with Congress, Republic Act (RA) 10964 or the ‘FY 2018 GAA’ has been deemed reenacted beginning O1 January 2019,” the order reads.
“Due to the reenacted of the FY 2018 GAA, there is a need to identify an appropriate funding source to cover the requirements for the implementation of the fourth tranche compensation adjustment for civilian government personnel scheduled in 2019 under EO 201,” it added.
Under EO 201, civilian government personnel should have received the fourth tranche salary in the beginning of January 2019.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will be authorized to implement or adjust the compensation corresponding to auditing rules and regulations.
EO 76 shall take effect immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Congress has failed to reach a consensus on the proposed 2019 national budget despite meeting with the President to resolve the budget impasse last week.
Since January 1, 2019 the government has been operating on a reenacted budget after Congress failed to pass the bill last year due to allegations of pork “insertions”.
The passage of the proposed 2019 budget was further stalled due to allegations of realignments made by the House after both chambers of Congress ratified the bicameral conference committee report.
Malacañang has repeatedly urged Congress to “settle their differences” to allow the signing and enactment of the 2019 budget.
