More than 1.9 million government employees, including military and uniformed personnel, will receive their mid-year bonuses starting Friday, May 15, after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) began releasing the ₱73.5 billion allocated for the benefit.

In a statement released on Friday, May 15, the DBM said the total allocation has been earmarked for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 mid-year bonus covering civilian workers, soldiers, police personnel, and other uniformed staff across national government (NG) agencies.

Budget Secretary Rolando U. Toledo said the release reflects the Marcos administration’s commitment to supporting public servants and recognizing their role in delivering government services.

Toledo said the early release of the mid-year bonus is “a recognition of [public servants’] sacrifice, dedication, and important role in delivering public service to every Filipino.”

Toledo added that the agency had already comprehensively released the funds at the start of the fiscal year to prevent delays in the distribution of the benefit. “The DBM ensured the early release of the necessary funds to prevent any delay in the granting of this benefit,” he said.

“The actual processing and release of the mid-year bonus for qualified personnel are now under the jurisdiction of their respective agencies,” the Budget chief noted.

Under DBM Budget Circular No. 2017-2, qualified employees are entitled to a mid-year bonus equivalent to one month of basic salary as of May 15.

To qualify, personnel must have rendered at least four months of aggregate service from July 1 of the previous year to May 15 of the current year, remain in government service as of May 15, and obtain at least a satisfactory performance rating in the immediately preceding evaluation period.

The required service period includes actual work rendered under regular, contractual, or casual employment in both national and local government offices, including paid leaves of absence.

The benefit also covers personnel of local government units (LGUs), although the release of bonuses for employees in provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays remains subject to approval by their respective sanggunian and compliance with conditions set under the DBM circular.

Toledo also stressed that the bonus serves as the government’s recognition of workers across the bureaucracy, from frontline personnel to back-office staff.

“From teachers, nurses, soldiers, police officers, and government employees to those behind the government’s day-to-day operations, this bonus is the government’s simple expression of gratitude for your tireless, hardworking, and faithful service to the nation,” he said. (Derco Rosal)