By Brian Campued
Qualified government employees will receive their midyear bonuses starting May 15, after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) began the disbursement of P73.456 billion allocated for over 1.9 million civilian, military, and uniformed personnel across national government agencies.
In a press release Friday, Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo stressed that funds for the mid-year bonus had already been released at the start of the Fiscal Year 2026 to ensure the timely distribution of benefits.
“Tiniyak ng DBM na maagang nailabas ang kinakailangang pondo upang hindi maantala ang pagbibigay ng benepisyong ito. Nasa hurisdiksyon na ng kani-kanilang ahensya ang aktwal na pagproseso at pagpapalabas ng Mid-Year Bonus para sa kanilang mga kwalipikadong personnel,” Sec. Toledo said.
The timely issuance of the bonuses, according to the DBM chief, highlighted the administration’s continued commitment to recognizing the hard work of public servants nationwide.
“Sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., nananatiling prayoridad ng administrasyon ang kapakanan ng ating mga lingkod-bayan,” Sec. Toledo said.
“Ang maagang pagproseso ng Mid-Year Bonus ay pagkilala sa kanilang sakripisyo, dedikasyon, at mahalagang papel sa paghahatid ng serbisyo publiko sa bawat Pilipino.”
Under the DBM Budget Circular No. 2017-2, the midyear bonus is equivalent to one month basic pay of a government employee.
Eligible employees must still be in government service as of May 15 or have rendered at least an aggregate of four months of service from July 1 of the previous year, and have received at least a satisfactory performance rating during the applicable evaluation period.
The required service period includes actual services rendered while occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions in the national and local government, including periods of leave with pay.
For local government units, the release of the midyear bonus to qualified personnel will be subject to approval by their respective councils and to the conditions provided under the aforementioned budget circular.
“Mula sa mga guro, nurse, sundalo, pulis, kawani ng gobyerno, hanggang sa mga nasa likod ng araw-araw na operasyon ng pamahalaan—ang bonus na ito ay simpleng pasasalamat ng gobyerno para sa inyong walang sawa, masipag, at tapat na paglilingkod sa bayan,” Toledo said.
-jpv
