Govt workers cry foul over pay hike scheme

(Updated 9:47 a.m.) MANILA, Philippines - Militant rank-and-file government employees cried foul Tuesday over a controversial salary hike scheme that promises to double President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's present salary. Malacañang officials, however, insisted that the proposed pay scheme will not benefit President Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro. In a radio interview, the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) said the salary hike scheme is top-heavy in favor of the president and high-ranking officials. "Doon sa P20 billion, P54 a day sa lahat na government employees. Pero hindi ito evenly distributed, sila ang makikinabang sa P20-billion adjustment na ito (It will take P20 billion for the salary adjustment. That is about P54 a day for taxpayers to shoulder. But it is not evenly distributed, it favors the president and higher-ranking officials)," Courage president Ferdinand Gaite said in an interview on dzXL radio. He said the increase for department secretaries may go up to 200 percent, and 100 percent for the president. But for lower-ranking employees, the increase will be single-digits, he said. Gaite added that while it is true lower-ranking employees may feel the "trickle-down" benefits of the salary increase, it is not likely enough to make ends meet. "Gusto ng kawani mabuhay nang maayos (All we rank-and-file employees want is to make ends meet)," he said. But in Malacañang, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez Jr insisted the salary hike plan will be enough to attract people to work in government. In a separate interview, Golez said the salary hike scheme will benefit not President Arroyo but her successor. "Pero kung titignan ninyo, ang makikinabang hindi pangulo kundi ang susunod na kawani. Kung matuloy man ito, ilang buwan bago matapos ang termino ng pangulo, ang makikinabang ang susunod na sisilbi (If you look at it closely, it is not Mrs Arroyo who will benefit but her successor. We expect that if this measure is passed, it will be a few months before the end of her term)," he said. Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya echoed Golez's statements. "Tuloy ang taas ng sweldo ng lahat na kawani. Pero sa personality ni GMA as president, walang tatanggap na dagdag sweldo. Ito ay magiging epektibo sa susunod na pangulo, hindi sa kanya (The salary hike will push through for all government workers. But in terms of personality, Gloria Arroyo as president will not receive a pay hike. The pay hike will be for her successor, not her)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. Andaya said that if the salary hike scheme is passed in Congress, it will take effect in the middle of 2009 for rank-and-file government employees. But for ranking elected officials such as the president, vice president, senators and congressmen, the pay hike will take effect only when their successors assume office. - GMANews.TV