Ejercito backs calls to hike gov’t workers’ allowance to P5,000

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito is pushing for an increase in the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) for government employees from P2,000 to P5,000 per month, according to a statement issued by his office on Monday.

The hike in the allowance —last adjusted in 2009 through Joint Resolution No. 4 issued by both chambers of Congress — should serve as an economic safety net for more than three million public servants.

Ejercito hoped to raise the allowance through his Senate Bill No. 2540, or the proposed “PERA Adjustment Act,” a response to calls from teachers and government workers’ groups, including the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), and the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage).

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READ: Government workers continue to push for P5,000 PERA

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“The purchasing power of the Philippine peso has been severely affected by volatile energy prices, rising transport fares, and global economic disruptions. And the escalating cost of essential goods and services has rendered the current P2,000 allowance entirely insufficient to provide the genuine economic relief it was legally designed to deliver,” he said.

“By ensuring fair economic relief, the government retains competitive and dedicated talent, which directly translates to a more responsive, transparent, and effective government for all Filipinos,” he added.

According to Ejercito, the bill aims to institutionalize PERA as a “sustainable, future-proof subsidy that shields civil servants from future economic shocks without the need for constant legislative remediation.”

READ: DBM streamlines release of pay, benefits for gov’t workers

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The measure will provide for an automatic yearly adjustment equivalent to any increase in the annual inflation rate, helping ensure that the allowance keeps pace with rising prices.

The measure covers government personnel in national and local government offices, whether appointive or elective, and those occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions, as well as military and uniformed personnel.

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Government personnel stationed abroad who already receive overseas allowances would be excluded. /atm