VILLAR SPONSORS SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET ON THE SENATE FLOOR
Let it not be said that the Senate had been callous to the plight of our more than 1.2 million government workers nationwide

Senator Manny Villar, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, sponsored today (Feb. 28) in the plenary House Bill 5013 appropriating the sum of P13.1 billion to fund the adjustment in compensation of government employees.

According to Villar, "The ideal way should have been for Congress to fast track the passage of the long-delayed 2006 national budget, which already incorporates this P13.1 billion compensation package for government workers."

Villar adds though, "In as much as the Senate cannot commence its deliberation on the national because the House is yet to pass the General Appropriations Bill at this very late hour, I do not want our government workers to fall hostage to this unfortunate set of circumstances."

The bill grants government employees including military and uniformed personnel an additional monthly allowance of P1,000 retroactive January 1, 2006 and will give government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local government units (LGUs) the authority to grant such additional allowance, charged against their respective funds.

"Indeed it has been four years since salary increase for government workers had been granted. Our underpaid government workers are in dire need of measures that would help their families cope with the rapidly rising cost of living in our country," cites Villar.

Villar further cites on his sponsorship speech that the additional P1,000 per month allowance will result to a net pay of P73,216.92 per year to the lowest salaried government employee currently earning a net take home pay of P5,082 per month, which is P11,881.92 or 19.37% higher than the existing annual poverty threshold of P61,335 in the country.

As a parting shot, Villar cites on his sponsorship speech, "Let it not be said that the Senate had been callous to the plight of our more than 1.2 million government workers nationwide."