Tinio questions P500 Pera hike, calls for budget realignment

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio on Thursday, Sept. 17, described the P500 increase in monthly allowance received by state workers in 2027 “woefully inadequate” after nearly 17-year impasse.

Tinio said the P500-hike to the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (Pera) was not enough, primarily amid rising commodity costs. He raised that only P11.79 billion from the P55.865-billion Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) was allotted to the program.

His remarks came after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) affirmed last Tuesday, Sept. 15, that an increase in Pera will be scheduled next year. 

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READ: Solon urges DBM: Push for state workers’ allowance hike in 2027

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“Pagkalipas ng 17 taon, P500 lang ang dagdag sa PERA? Habang patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, ito ay hindi sapat, hindi makatao, at isang malaking insulto sa mga guro at iba pang kawani ng gobyerno na siyang gulugod ng serbisyo publiko,” Tinio said in a statement on Thursday.

(“After 17 years, an increase of only P500 in the PERA? As the prices of commodities continue to rise, this is insufficient, inhumane, and a huge insult to the teachers and other government employees who serve as the backbone of public service,”)

He then urged the Congress to realign the P107.4-billion fund for flood control projects to fund genuine projects, such as the monthly allowance for around 2 million civil servants in the country.

Tinio explained that doubling the proposed increase would amount to P24 billion, while a P2,000 increase would only need P48 billion. 

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“The administration can do better for our nearly 2 million government personnel. May pera naman. Kailangan nating unahin ang kapakanan ng ating mga kawani. Itigil na ang modus ng pagbabawas sa MPBF. We demand that the P107.4 billion for flood control be realigned to fund the long-standing demand for a P5,000 PERA,” he expressed.

(“The administration can do better for our nearly 2 million government personnel. The funds are available. We need to prioritize the welfare of our employees. Stop the practice of slashing the MPBF. We demand that the P107.4 billion allocated for flood control be realigned to fund the long-standing demand for a P5,000 PERA.”)

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He, moreover slammed the P40 million additional fund allocated to increase the subsistence allowance of Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP).

“Kung kayang gawin iyon para sa MUP, bakit hindi para sa lahat ng sibilyang kawani ng gobyerno?” he asked.

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(“If that can be done for the MUP, why not for all civilian government employees?”) /mr