Budget chief Abad: Govt to test one payroll account for all employees

The Philippines is pilot testing a single bank account to disburse salaries of all government employees, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said in a forum Thursday organized by the National Competitive Council in Makati City.

 

“This will make cash management predictable, and budgeting, easier,” Abad noted.

 

“It will greatly diminish the necessity of borrowing what we need. At least, kung mangangailangan tayo, alam na natin kung magkano ang kailangan natin,” he added.

 

Abad said the mechanism would not only ensure greater monitoring, but also higher revenues for government.

 

“We may not be able to eliminate it totally, but this will definitely minimize administrative processing, paper works, and ghost employees,” he noted.

 

National payroll system 

 

Abad said the current administration would develop a government-wide payroll and personnel management system.

 

“The money won’t have to go the agency anymore, but would go to the bank accounts of the employee,” the budget secretary noted. 

 

“Diretso na rin ang premiums. The Treasury will now have to pay for the GSIS. Ganun din ang BIR remittances,” he added.

 

Cashless purchase card

 

Moreover, Abad said the government would soon issue purchase cards to government employees authorized to procure small-value and high-volume purchases.

 

This will be connected to an online program, which will then generate a comprehensive report.

 

In its “Action Plan,” The Cabinet Cluster on Good Governance and Anti-Corruption expects the system to increase efficiency in the purchase of goods and provide “less room for clerical errors, anomalies, and delays in reporting.”

 

Integrated financial management

 

Abad also noted the creation of a Government Integrated Financial Management Information System or GIFMIS.

 

The system comprises a single platform for the Commission on Audit, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Finance-Bureau of Treasury to manage “government finances, budgeting and revenues, cash management, and financial accountability.” — VS, GMA News