House OKs on second reading proposed Salary Standardization Law of 2019

The House of Representatives on Monday approved on second reading the measure seeking to increase the salary of government employees beginning January next year.

During its plenary session, the chamber approved via "ayes" and "nays" House Bill 5712, or the proposed Salary Standardization Law of 2019, only a few hours after it was approved at the committee level.

The proposal was based on a study conducted by the Department of Budget and Management together with a private consulting firm to ensure that government pay is competitive with that of the private sector.

The salary schedules will be increased in four tranches until 2023, beginning on January 1, 2020.

Apart from the salary increases, the measure also mandates the grant of midyear bonus to government workers equivalent to one month salary as of May 15 of a given year, provided that they have rendered at least four months of service and are still in service by the same day.

Earlier in the day, President Rodrigo Duterte certified the bill as urgent, which allows Congress to skip the three-day rule and pass the measure on third reading immediately after it is passed on second reading.

The House, however, suspended its session until Tuesday without approving the bill on third reading.

House Committee on Appropriations chair Isidro Ungab said a total of P34.2 billion has been allocated under the miscellaneous personnel benefits fund for its implementation next year. — RSJ, GMA News