BEYOND BUDGET
Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Of all the resources available in an organization, I believe manpower is the most important. In the government, where timely, quality, and relevant services are crucial, grand plans and programs often fail without committed, skilled, efficient, and effective personnel to implement them.
Every day, our civil servants strive to ensure that essential services reach our citizens, often working tirelessly behind the scenes. These individuals embody the very essence of malasakit, serbisyo, and bayanihan — values integral to the Filipino identity.
As President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM) said during the 2024 Search for Outstanding Government Workers Awarding Ceremony, held in celebration of Civil Service Month, our government workers “serve as the pillars upon which our government can draw its confidence and build its momentum in achieving a Bagong Pilipinas.”
Thus, we in government consider recognition and compensation paramount in inspiring a culture of excellence in public service. It is also fitting that we honor the unwavering commitment and the invaluable role public servants play in nation-building.
In this regard, last Dec. 13, I excitedly announced that the President signed Administrative Order (AO) No. 27 authorizing the grant of a one-time Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) of up to ₱20,000 to all qualified government employees, to be released not earlier than Dec. 15, 2024.
The SRI is one of the government’s ways to show appreciation for state employees’ contributions to achieving the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and the President’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda. More importantly, it acknowledges their firm dedication to consistently providing effective and efficient public service despite the challenges posed by their circumstances and various domestic and external factors.
The SRI covers all civilian personnel in national government agencies, including those in state universities and colleges, and government-owned or -controlled corporations, occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions. Also qualified to receive the SRI are military and uniformed personnel (MUP); employees in the legislative and judicial departments and other offices vested with fiscal autonomy; and employees in local government units and local water districts.
The DBM is one with the President in acknowledging the hardships and sacrifices of our government workers, especially teachers who serve as second parents, taking on the gargantuan task of molding our youth. You may be interested to know that this is the first time in history that Department of Education teachers will receive their SRI in the full amount of ₱20,000, receiving only ₱15,000 in 2022 and ₱18,000 in 2023.
The brave officers of our police force are also entitled to ₱20,000, higher than the ₱12,500 granted in 2023. Other MUPs will have the same incentive, including those from the Armed Forces of the Philippines; the Bureaus of Jail Management and Penology, Fire Protection, and Corrections; the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, and the Philippine Coast Guard. This demonstrates how much the government values our unsung heroes who protect lives and properties, maintain peace and order in communities, and safeguard our nation. They go above and beyond the call of duty, even at the cost of their own lives.
Under the AO, the incentive is granted to those who have completed four months of satisfactory government service as of Nov. 30, 2024. Meanwhile, those with less than four months of satisfactory service as of the same date are entitled to a pro-rated share. The funding for the SRI is based on the available allotment of agencies, who themselves can determine the SRI rate they shall grant to their respective employees.
I am truly grateful to PBBM for approving the grant of the SRI. I am positive that our civil service workers and their families consider this an early Christmas gift and a welcome addition to their funds during the financially challenging yet exciting holiday season.
Beyond budget, the SRI reflects the PBBM administration’s heartfelt appreciation and acknowledgment for the dedication and hard work of state workers — the heart and soul of public service. More than a mere monetary incentive, it is an investment in the people who keep our government functioning effectively, a step toward a more inclusive and compassionate government that works not only for the people but also with the people.
Hence, rest assured that the PBBM administration, through the DBM, will continue to create meaningful changes to pave the way for a more resilient, responsive, and excellent public sector in our Bagong Pilipinas.
(Amenah F. Pangandaman is the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management.)