Senator Bong Go welcomed the recent Executive Order No. 64 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which mandates an increase in salaries and the provision of additional allowances for government workers.
Go praised the initiative, stating, “Ipinaglaban po natin ito kaya naman masaya tayo at narinig ang ating suhestyon. Ito ay isang malaking hakbang patungo sa pagkilala at pagpapahalaga sa ating mga kawani ng gobyerno.”
“Ipinaglaban po natin ito kaya naman masaya tayo.”
“Ang pagtataas ng sahod na ito ay hindi lamang isang pagsasaalang-alang sa mga hamon ng inflation kundi isang pamamaraan para mapanatili nating masigla, may integridad, at mahusay ang ating workforce,” the legislator added.
The adjustment in the salary schedule is applicable to all civilian government personnel, aiming to address the erosion of purchasing power that many employees have faced due to ongoing economic challenges.
“Ang kaginhawaan ng ating mga ordinaryong kawani ng gobyerno ay direktang nakakaapekto sa kalidad ng serbisyong kanilang maibibigay. Pinapatibay natin ang ating pangako na alagaan ang kapakanan ng mga empleyado ng gobyerno,” the senator stressed.
He has been an advocate for the welfare of public sector employees, having previously filed Senate Bill No. 2504, known as the “Salary Standardization Law VI.”
This proposed legislation builds on the provisions of the previously enacted Republic Act No. 11466 or the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) 5 which Go served as one of its authors and co-sponsors in the Senate in 2019 and was implemented from 2020-2023.
Even without the passage of the proposed new law, Go said he welcomes this development initiated by the executive to fund and implement a new tranche of salary increases for government employees.
“Bilang lingkod-bayan, tungkulin natin na siguraduhing ang bawat kawani ng gobyerno ay nabibigyan ng sapat na mga benepisyo na nararapat para sa kanilang pagsisilbi sa ating mga kababayan.”
“Bilang lingkod-bayan, tungkulin natin na siguraduhing ang bawat kawani ng gobyerno ay nabibigyan ng sapat na mga benepisyo na nararapat para sa kanilang pagsisilbi sa ating mga kababayan,” he said.
Go’s advocacy for the welfare of ordinary employees in the public sector comes at a time when economic challenges have heightened the need for financial stability among the country’s workforce.
During a recent public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto clarified the legal grounds and benefits of redirecting unused funds from various government entities to improve public welfare and priority services including increased compensation in the public sector.
Meanwhile, Go renewed his appeal for agencies to maximize their available budgets to improve its services that would benefit the poor and needy sectors.
“Ang ating mga kawani sa gobyerno ay matagal nang nangangailangan ng isa pang pagtaas ng sahod. Suportado ko ito patungo sa pagpapabuti ng kanilang kalagayan sa buhay,” he said referring to the planned salary increases.
