By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Jinggoy Estrada stated on Monday (May 6, 2024) that if the proposed bill for the new Salary Standardization Law VI fails to gain approval in Congress, it could still be implemented through an Executive Order.
“If enacting a new law for SSL V proves unattainable, an alternative avenue could be the issuance of an Executive Order, similar to the action taken by former President Benigno Aquino III on February 16, 2016. He issued EO No. 201 to effect an increase in the salaries of government employees when Congress failed to ratify a new SSL,” explained Estrada, chairman of the Senate Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development Committee.
While the Senate has passed the P100 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act, its counterpart in the House of Representatives has yet to be approved.
Estrada remains hopeful that his proposed legislation to increase salaries will be given due consideration, particularly in light of the rising cost of living.
“Umaasa tayo na mabibigyan ng konsiderasyon ang panukalang inihain ko, lalo na’t patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin na nakaaapekto sa mga manggagawa.”
Meanwhile, the senator emphasized that during budget deliberations, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is expected to be adequately prepared to present its comprehensive study on the feasibility of providing additional rounds of salary increments for government workers in the coming years.
“Irrespective of the President’s directives, our economic managers have already foreseen the necessity to allocate funds for salary restructuring in the 2025 national budget, given the escalating cost of living,” he added.
(el Amigo/MNM)
