PR
The Duterte Administration is always committed in promoting the welfare of government employees, such as through better compensation. Early this year, President Duterte signed into law the Salary Standardization Law 5, which I authored, increasing the salaries of government civilian employees.
As to the appeal of Bureau of Immigration employees for increased pay, this administration continues to provide augmentation pay in accordance with the law.
In 2018 and 2019, the Office of the President issued Memo Order 24 s. 2018 and Memo Order 39 s. 2019, respectively, allowing the use of Express Lane Fees to augment the salaries of BI personnel. And they continue to receive the same this year, subject to certain conditions, as authorized by the General Appropriations Act 2020.
The Immigration Officers Association of the Philippines Inc. is lobbying Congress to approve a pending measure to replace the outdated Immigration Act of 1940 or the salary standardization law to increase the salary grade of BI officers. As a Senator, I support this measure and will urge my colleagues to pass this immediately.
Being a worker in government for the past 21 years, I understand what government employees go through. Mahirap maging empleyado ng gobyerno. Malaking sakripisyo ito para sa pamilya dahil hindi ganun kataas ang sweldo kumpara sa pribadong sektor. Pero iba ang katuparang nadadama dahil nakapagserbisyo ka sa ating bayan.
Patuloy naming isinusulong ni Pangulong Duterte ang kapakanan ng mga empleyado, katulad ng mas magandang benepisyo, para naman maalagaan ang kanilang mga pamilya.
Gagawin po namin lahat ng pwedeng gawin basta naaayon sa batas. Ang hiling lang namin sa mga kawani ng gobyerno ay basta magserbisyo kayo ng tapat sa bayan at sa inyong kapwa.
Pumasok tayo sa gobyerno para magserbisyo. Hindi po para yumaman. Hindi rason ang mababang sweldo para maging corrupt. Prayoridad natin ang maglingkod sa tao. Kapakanan ng kapwa Pilipino ang palagi nating unahin.
Marami pong Pilipino ang gusto magtrabaho ng tapat. Para sa mga hindi kuntento sa pagseserbisyo ng tapat, mas mabuting ibigay niyo nalang po ang inyong trabaho sa ibang tao na ginugustong magserbisyo sa bayan at hindi ang magpayaman.
As the President reiterated numerous times: we are here to work for the people, for a better future for our children.
