Qualified government workers have another reason to celebrate this holiday season as they are set to receive a one-time service recognition incentive (SRI) worth PHP10,000 under a new administrative order (AO) signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Signed by Duterte on December 24, AO No. 45 is in line with the implementation of Joint Resolution 4 inked on June 17, 2009, which authorizes the grant of incentives to reward an employee’s loyalty to government service and contributions to the agency’s continuing viable existence.
“The government continues to acknowledge all public servants for their collective and unceasing participation in and invaluable contribution to the establishment of streamlined government processes and responsive delivery of services to the public, especially in the midst of the prevailing public health emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the AO read.
AO No. 45 also recognizes that it is imperative to provide reasonable incentives and assistance to public servants, who are impacted not only by the pandemic but also by various natural calamities.
Under the AO, the incentive will be received by civilian personnel in national government agencies (NGAs), including those in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and government-owned or –controlled corporations (GOCCs), occupying regular, contractual or casual positions.
Military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the Department of National Defense, and uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology under the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Bureau of Corrections under the Department of Justice, the Philippine Coast Guard under the Department of Transportation, and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will also receive a one-time SRI.
AO No. 45 also grants a one-time SRI to civilian personnel who are still in the government service as of Nov. 30, 2021.
Government workers who have rendered at least four months of satisfactory service as of November 30, 2021, inclusive of services rendered under any of the alternative work arrangements prescribed by the Civil Service Commission will also be granted a one-time SRI.
Employees who have rendered less than four months will be entitled to a 40-percent pro-rated share of the SRI, while those who have been working in the government in less than three months will get a 30-percent pro-rated share of the incentive.
Those who are hired in the government for less than two months and one month will take home 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of the pro-rated share of the cash bonus.
The one-time SRI will also be granted to employees who have not received any additional year-end benefit in fiscal year 2021.
AO No. 45 excludes consultants and experts engaged for a limited period to perform specific activities or services with expected outputs; laborers engaged through job contracts (pakyaw) and those paid on a piecework basis; student workers and apprentices; and individuals and groups of people whose services are engaged through job orders, contracts of service or others with similar work schemes.
The funding source for the grant of the SRI to employees in the Executive Department will be sourced from available released Personnel Services (PS) allotments of the respective agencies under Republic Act No. 11518 or the FY 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Employees of the Senate, House of Representatives, Judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman and Constitutional Offices vested with fiscal autonomy may likewise be granted a one-time SRI by their respective heads of office at a uniform rate not exceeding PHP10,000 each.
Local government employees including those in the barangays (villages) may also receive a one-time SRI as determined by their respective sanggunians (city or municipal council) depending on their financial capability.
The one-time SRI of PHP10,000 may also be granted to employees of Local Water Districts (LWDs) as determined by their Boards of Directors.
AO No. 45 directs the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to issue supplemental guidelines to effectively implement the order.
“The payment of the SRI to all qualified government employees shall not be earlier than 21 December 2021,” the AO read. (PNA)
