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The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is now studying the possible increase in the aptly-termed Personnel Economic Relief Allowance or PERA of government employees. 

This was learned from ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro's interpellation of the DBM's proposed 2025 budget in the House plenary debates on Monday night, Sept. 16. 

Castro, a deputy minority leader, said that it took 18 years before the PERA worth P500 saw a significant increase. The monthly benefit currently sits as P2,000. 

As such, the Makabayan bloc member called for another round of increase in order to help ease the burden on government workers. 

DBM budget sponsor Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo's response was very promising. She said there's actually a plan in place to incrementally hike PERA. 

"So yun po, beginning 2026 until 2028, magkaroon sana ng P500 increase per year. So ibig sabihin, 2026 maging P2,500 per month. Pagdating ng 2027, P3,000 per month. Pagdating ng 2028, P3,500 per month," said Quimbo, speaking on behalf of DBM. 

(So that it, beginning 2026 until 2028, there will hopefully be a P500 increase per year. This means that by 2026, it will become P2,500 per month. By 2027, it's P3,000 per month. It will become P3,500 per month by 2028.) 

But this would need funding, and that's where the number-crunching comes in. 

"So yun po sana ang pinag-aaralan nila kung kakayanin natin. Dahil malaki-laki po ang kakailangan ng pondo, ang requirement po is P11.143 billion annually," Quimbo told Castro. 

(So that's what they will study, to see if we can afford it. Because the annual budget requirement of P11.143 billion is quite big.) 

The debate on the 2025 DBM budget was terminated at past 10:30 p.m. Monday.