SALARY STANDARDIZATION LAW 3
Compensation package has always been a part of motivating factor for every individual. Our ultimate goal and satisfaction in life depends on how much do we have or how much can we afford. In private institution especially top companies offers good compensation package but the qualifications of each employee is really at the top calibre. They hire carefully but they are willing to fire.
The SSL3 will be implemented over a four-year period, beginning next year, according to Andaya. According to Andaya, if the SSL3 is implemented, those who hold the rank of Teacher I and Nurse I in 2009, will have a salary increase from P12,026 to P13,542 or 12.6 percent higher than their current salary rates. When SSL3 is implemented in full, it will translate an increase for Grade Level 1 10. Government employees (ex. entry level Teachers, Nurses) from the current salary of ₱12,000 to about ₱18,000 at least a bit competitive to entry level in the Call Center Industry.
But would that be enough after four years?
On the other hand, Medical Officers I (doctors) and Legal Officers I (lawyers) will have an increase by 79.2 percent from P15,181 to P27,198, said Andaya.
The budget secretary also said that the two grade levels for teachers and nurses will also be upgraded from Grade 10 to Grade 11, while for doctors and lawyers are from Grade 14 to Grade 16.
Utility workers and those who are in clerical positions will on the average receive a 30-percent salary increase.
However, the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) says that the proposed salary adjustment by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is totally unfair for the 1.4 million employees who toil for almost 12 hours everyday despite the low salary.
SSL3 essentially gave higher compensation to professionals and executives and “starvation pay” to the rank and file as benchmark, Courage national president Ferdinand R. Gaite said implementing SSL3 would be like giving more meat to those who are already full while at the same time throwing only crumbs to those who are really hungry.
Those who need the increase more should get the higher adjustments. The P20-billion allotment for pay hikes in the proposed national budget should benefit the metro aides, clerks, drivers, machine operators, public school teachers, nurses and other public health workers and other employees who are at the front-line of delivering vital services to the public. Otherwise, it will be another self-serving piece of legislation and an affront to the employees.
Gaite accused the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government of driving a wedge between those who earn more and have allowances, pork barrel, discretionary funds and other privileges at their disposal.
The militant leader also said that any salary increase, both for private and public sector workers, must be on the basis of social justice, not patronage.
In 2006 the government implemented a what was supposed to be a P1,000 across-the-board salary increase grant. But not all government employees benefited from it.
“Most of the workers from the local government units (LGUs) did not get increases in their salary,” he said. Gaite added that many local government employees who got salary increases did so through the savings of their respective LGUs.
“What is more saddening,” Gaite said, “is that the increase is staggered; the P1,851 ($38.41) increase for our clerks, street sweepers, and utility workers will be divided over four years or P462.75 ($9.60) per month, for all the four years from July 2009 which is the proposed effectivity date of the SSL 3. With the inflation rate remaining in double digits, 11.6 percent as of October, and the world economy continuously withering, that increase will mean nothing,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jossel Ebesate, chief nurse of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and secretary-general of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) said that even if the P1,851 increase is given today, the employees under the Salary Grades 1 to 9—which constitute more than 50 percent of all public health workers—will remain below poverty line.
“Using the October estimate by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the daily cost of living (DCOL), is already P903.33 ($18.74). Meaning, a family of six, to be able to live decently, must have at least P27,100 ($562.36) each month. Clearly, SSL3 does not answer the workers’ clamor for living wage,” Ebesate explained.
Government workers’ unions must be strong and united to be able to negotiate for salary increases.
To date, the lowest paid government employee receives a gross pay of around P6,126, sans mandatory deductions like withholding tax, GSIS and PAG-IBIG premiums, etc.
Gaite stressed that they are still for a P3,000 across-the-board nationwide salary increase but definitely shall oppose the “outrageous pay hike biased for top officials.”
The proposed salary increase sounds good for those who are struggling for budget deficit and searching for a better way of life. For some who are not aware of their rights, needs and who are not that critical about issues about economy and politics they maybe contended when they heard that there would be a salary increase.
The question is would this be enough? Probably not, but at least it should help. Still Government salaries is among the lowest in the Philippines - an ironic reality when in fact running the government is much more like running a business. Yes it has become a business - a business of getting kickbacks and graft on most government projects for politicians and government officials. No wonder even our Policemen and Military suffered major credibility problems - when some of their members directly involved in crimes and illegal activities just to “augment” their financial resources. However this does not justify the means.
Policemen and Military are much luckier compare to other employee who are receiving same salary grade. Whether the salary will be increased or not with the salary grade 10 the police forces received better compensation because of better benefits that they have than of those teachers and government nurses. With their allowances, the total monthly compensation of PO1 sum up to almost ₱18,000.00 but despite of these many are still engaged in illegal activities, they are loyal to the administration but not loyal to the government.
While it is an unacceptable reasoning, still low income, which is most of the time not enough to cover basic needs have enticed some policemen to be “creative” in the streets. Low government salaries made the teachers got buried in debts from loan sharks and opportunist lenders. It also forced government health workers (doctors, nurses) teachers and even other professionals to seek employment overseas. Many doctors took nursing courses and left their profession to work abroad as helpers, caregivers, or nursing aids.
Other countries like Singapore have programs that ensure its government officials, the police, the public school teacher and every government employee is well taken cared of. And giving higher salaries and benefits are the key. Can the Philippine Government afford to raise the salaries of its government workers to a comfortable level? Do we have the money? The answer is a big yes. The question is priority. Is the Government allocating a bigger chunk of its budget for the government workers? The answer is no - because budget is limited - which is a total stupidity.
The Government can afford allocating Billions of pesos as “pork barrel” or allowances to Senators and Congressmen, and a big portion goes to corruption. Lots of money were lost in uncollected taxes, smuggled items and kickbacks. We have lots of money - but sadly, most of these money go to the hand of the few. What if we increased the salary of the president to ₱200,000.00 and let say additional commission on the net income of the country but there must be a certain limit on the personal and travel expenses like the condition being applied on the business private sector and other offices. Maybe the salary of the president and other government at present is not enough but they are receiving a lot of benefits. They can travel for free even if its for vacation they will declare it as official travel so that the expenses will be paid by the government. But if the ordinary employee especially the teachers will attend the seminar they will shoulder all the expenses and in most cases teachers are obliged even if they don’t have enough budget hence the tendency is that they will lend money from financing institution or individual (5-6 perhaps).
Imagine if we get rid of those pork barrel allowances and instead, have a centralized purchasing and funding of projects. What if we raise the salaries of government workers to a level that they can be comfortable. What if we utilize the IT Solutions to systemic problems like tax collection and processing of documents and get rid of red tapes and unnecessary processes. What if the Government has Political Will and is not beholden to certain individuals.
These things are a fantasy - that each Filipino will continue to dream about every day until his last breath to the next generation till kingdom come. Those would be the words of people in total surrender, of defeatism, of hopelessness. Or we can choose to stand and make a difference - and make sure that the next election, we support people who have political will, who have genuine interest for service and real change.
