MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued administrative orders (AOs) granting a service recognition incentive (SRI) for employees of the executive department, as well as a one-time rice allowance for all government personnel for this year, Malacañang announced on Saturday.
The President’s AO authorizes the grant of a one-time SRI at a uniform rate not exceeding PHP20,000 for those working under the executive department, officer in charge of the Office of the Press Secretary, Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, said.
Garafil said civilian personnel of national government agencies (NGAs), including those in state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), regular, contractual or casual employees, members of the military and the police, as well as fire and jail personnel under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) are entitled to receive the incentive.
Personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) will also get the SRI, she added.
Garafil said the incentive for NGAs, SUCs, and military and uniformed personnel would be funded by the available released Personnel Services allotment under Republic Act (RA) 11639 or the 2022 national budget.
“Based on the President’s order, employees of both houses of Congress, the Judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman, and Constitutional offices may likewise be granted a one-time SRI by their respective heads of offices at a uniform rate not exceeding PHP20,000,” she said.
Garafil said personnel of local government units (LGUs), including those in the villages, may also receive the incentive depending on the LGUs’ financial capability, subject to limitations in their respective budgets under the Local Government Code of 1991.
Rice allowance
Marcos also issued an AO authorizing the grant of one-time rice assistance for all government personnel, Garafil said.
“Those who are entitled to receive the rice subsidy include civilian personnel in NGAs, including those in SUCs, GOCCs, government financial institutions (GFIs), government instrumentalities with corporate powers, and government corporate entities occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions,” she said.
“Military, police, fire, and jail personnel are also entitled to receive the rice assistance. BuCor, PCG, and NAMRIA employees will also receive the support,” Garafil added.
Marcos’ AO, she said, also authorizes the release of assistance to individuals and groups of people whose services are engaged through job orders (JO), contracts of service (COS), or similar working arrangements defined under a Commission on Audit circular order.
She said the rice assistance for NGAs, and military and uniformed personnel would be funded by the Contingent Fund under RA 11639, while the allowance for GOCCs would come from their respective approved operating budgets for Fiscal Year 2022.
Malacañang has yet to release a copy of the AOs.
Collective negotiation agreement
Meanwhile, Marcos witnessed the signing of the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) incentive between the Office of the President (OP) Management and the Office of the President Employees Network (OPEN), state-run Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) said in a Facebook post.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, representing OP Management, and OPEN president Robert Mananquil signed the CNA during the Christmas party held at the Mabini Grounds of Malacañan Palace on Friday.
As the duly recognized employees’ association in the OP since 2014, OPEN has been a partner of OP Management in pursuing holistic development for its human resources, especially the rank-and-file employees of the OP.
The initial CNA between OPEN and OP was registered by the Civil Service Commission in 2014 and was followed by the signing of two more CNAs in 2016 and 2020.
The country's pertinent laws allow government employees’ associations to enter into a CNA with their respective agencies to show mutual respect and cooperation in advancing the rights of human resources while maintaining the organization’s quality service delivery. (PNA)
