Two party-list lawmakers are pushing for a pay increase for all government employees, not only for uniformed personnel.
ACT Teachers party-list representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro said the pay hike granted to the police and the military which would be as high as 58 percent would distort the salary scheme of government personnel.
“How about the civilian personnel who also do their job? They are also affected by rising cost of living. If we’re raising salaries of soldiers and cops, let’s do the same for teachers,” Castro said.
“We ask this administration: Why make a distinction between civilian government employees on one hand and the police and military on the other when both are part of nation building? Teachers, nurses, or clerks may not carry arms and literally give their lives in the course of their duties but they work in government with equal dedication to serve the people,” Castro added.
For his part, Tinio said the Duterte administration must address the clamor of civilian government employees for a substantial pay hike.
“Majority of them are clerks, utility workers, public school teachers, nurses, social workers and other rank and file employees who also have the same needs like uniformed personnel,” Tinio said.
“They have the same right to be recognized and rewarded for their hard work as our soldiers and police officers, the same right to a decent life. There should be no special treatment in favor of the police and the military,” he added.
The House committee on appropriations, chaired by Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, earlier approved House Joint Resolution 18 granting the increase in the base pay of military and uniformed personnel in the government.
The resolution will raise the monthly pay of entry-level cops or Police Officer 1 (PO 1) as well as privates in the DND, fire and jail officers, apprentice seamen from P14,834 to P29,668 starting January 2018, with corresponding increases for higher ranks. It will cost government an additional P63.4 billion in the first year of implementation.
The resolution provides that “there is need to adjust the compensation package of military and uniformed personnel in order to make it more commensurate with their critical role in maintaining national security and peace and order, taking into consideration their exposure to high-risk environments in the performance of their duties.”
