Palace Announces Incentive Worth P20,000 for Government Workers
Find out who are eligible to receive this gratuity pay.
(SPOT.ph) President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has announced the grant of a one-time Service Recognition Incentive and rice allowance for government employees. This announcement was made through Administrative Order No. 12 signed on December 7, effective immediately.
What is the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for government workers?
The SRI, capped at a uniform rate not exceeding P20,000, is set to benefit civilian personnel in national government agencies, including those in state universities and colleges, government-owned or controlled corporations, and regular, contractual, or casual employees. Additionally, members of the military, police, fire, and jail personnel under the Department of the Interior and Local Government are also eligible for the incentive.
The grant extends to personnel from the Bureau of Corrections, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority. Furthermore, employees of both houses of Congress, the Judiciary, the Office of the Ombudsman, and Constitutional offices may receive the SRI at the discretion of their respective heads of offices.
Who are eligible for the SRI?
According to Administrative Order No. 12, the grant of the SRI shall be subject to the following conditions:
- The civilian personnel are occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions
The personnel are still in government service as of November 30, 2023 - The personnel have rendered at least a total or an aggregate of four months of satisfactory service as of November 30, 2023, inclusive of services rendered under any of the alternative work arrangements prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.
- Those who have rendered less than a total or an aggregate of four months of satisfactory service as of November 30, 2023, shall be entitled to a pro-rated SRI.
- The employees have not received any additional year-end benefit in FY 2023 over and above the benefit authorized under RA No. 6686, as amended by RA No. 8441.
Who are excluded from the SRI grant?
Those engaged without an employer-employee relationship and whose compensation is funded from non-personnel services appropriations/budgets are excluded from the grant of SRI, according to the document.
- Consultants and experts engaged for a limited period to perform specific activities or services with expected outputs
- Laborers engaged through job contracts and those paid on a piecework basis
- Student workers and apprentices
- Individuals and groups of people whose services are engaged through job orders, contracts of service, or others similarly situated
How will the SRI be distributed to government workers?
Local government units, including barangays, are authorized to distribute the SRI to their employees, contingent upon their financial capability and adherence to budgetary limitations as prescribed by the Local Government Code of 1991.
The funding for the SRI for national government agencies, state universities and colleges, and military and uniformed personnel will be sourced from the available released Personnel Services allotment under Republic Act No. 11639 or the 2022 national budget.
What is the rice allowance for government personnel?
In parallel with the SRI, President Marcos has also sanctioned a one-time rice allowance for government personnel. This assistance covers civilian personnel in national government agencies, state universities and colleges, government-owned or controlled corporations, government financial institutions, and other government entities with regular, contractual, or casual positions.
Military, police, fire, and jail personnel, along with employees from the Bureau of Corrections, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, are entitled to receive the rice assistance. The grant also includes individuals and groups engaged through job orders, contracts of service, or other similar working arrangements as defined by a Commission on Audit circular order.
The rice assistance for national government agencies, military, and uniformed personnel will be financed by the Contingent Fund under Republic Act No. 11639. Government-owned or controlled corporations will allocate funds for assistance from their approved operating budgets for the fiscal year 2022.