Despite fiscal woes, PNoy OKs Xmas bonus for govt workers

Despite its fiscal problems, the new administration found the means to add cheer to millions of government workers this holiday season. On top of the 13th month pay and cash gift they received or will receive for Christmas, they are also set to get an extra cash bonus that can amount to as much as P10,000. President Benigno Aquino III has signed Administrative Order No. 3 granting government workers a productivity enhancement incentive not exceeding P10,000. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) clarified that so far, only employees from the government's executive branch are sure to receive P10,000, while the amount that other government workers will receive will depend on the savings of their respective agencies. "Ang iniutos ng pangulo na pwedeng ibigay ay hindi lalagpas ng P10,000. Ang P7,000 rito, magmumula sa pooled savings ng national government, na ang magre-release at magbabahagi ay ang DBM. 'Yung natitira, P3,000, ay manggagaling sa mga ahensya," said Budget Secretary Florencio Abad in an interview over GMA News' 24 Oras. (What the President ordered cannot exceed P10,000. Of this, P7,000 will come from the government's pooled savings which will be released by the DBM. The rest will come from the agencies.)

Employees from government-owned and -controlled corporations, local government units, and the executive and legislative branches will likewise receive the cash incentive. "Ang saklaw nito, lahat ng mga employee ng gobyerno na mayroon nang hindi bababang apat na buwang serbisyo sa gobyerno. 'Yung mga hindi pa nakapaglilingkod nang apat na buwan, mayroon pa rin naman sila, pero ang ibibigay sa kanila, proportional," Abad explained. (All government employees with at least four months of service will be included. Those with less than four months will also get something, but proportional.) The government earlier granted its more than 1 million employees such benefits as the 13th month pay and cash gifts. Workers rejoiced over the news, saying they did not expect the additional cash bonus. "Natutuwa po kami kasi hindi naman namin inaasahan yung P10,000 na yun. Kasi sabi dati nagtitipid," said Vivian Macavinta in the "24 Oras" report. (We're delighted because we never expected it. We were told that the government was belt-tightening.) - KBK/HS, GMANews.TV