TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) – All government workers will receive their second tranche of salary increase under the Salary Standardization Law III (SSL III) effective June 24, 2010 pursuant to Executive Order (EO) No. 900 signed by former President Arroyo.

In a statement, Region 8 office of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM 8) Director Imelda Laceras assured government workers in Region 8 that the corresponding cash requirement for their salary increase will be released as part of the cash program for the second half of the year.

The SSL III, approved in June 2009, is a four-year plan to rationalize public sector pay through adjustments in the 33-grade government pay scale.

While all employees will benefit from the pay raise, higher rates of increase are given to certain professionals like teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and accountants who would enjoy some 54 percent to 77 percent increase in their salaries with the full implementation of the law.

Aside from increasing salaries, these positions were upgraded in recognition of their importance in society in the case of teachers and medical personnel, and their market demand in case of lawyers and accountants.

DBM said that a soldier with the rank of Private in the Department of National Defense (DND) or a Police Officer I in the Philippine National Police (PNP) would be entitled to a monthly increase of P1,342 over their current base pay, while a Nurse I would receive a P1,451 monthly salary increase.

The second tranche implementation will not apply to officials and employees whose terms of office are co-terminus with the immediate past President of the Philippines.

Also excluded from receiving the salary increase are those hired without employee-employer relationships and funded from non-personal services appropriations and budgets.

For more information, interested parties may call the DBM Regional office.

Meanwhile, pursuant to EO No. 900, the implementation of the Second Trance of the modified Salary Schedule for Local Government Unit (LGU) personnel will take effect not earlier than January 1, 2011.

The implementation will be determined by the Sanggunian on the basis of the LGU income class and financial capability.

For this purpose, the DBM will issue the Second Tranche Monthly Salary Schedule for Local Government Personnel for each LGU income class which will take effect not earlier than January 1, 2011, as may be determined by the Sanggunian.

Local government units which do not have adequate or sufficient funds to implement the salaries prescribed for their LGU financial class will implement the salary schedules which will be at uniform percentages of the salary rates in the Second Tranche Monthly salary schedule for local government personnel.

Local government units may request copies from the DBM, or from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Region 8. Copies of the EO No. 900 may also be downloaded from the DBM official Web site: www.dbm.gov.ph.