A lawmaker on Tuesday urged President Aquino to include salary hikes for state workers in the proposed 2016 budget.
ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said President Aquino should grant the long-delayed salary increases to the country’s 1.6 million government employees, including public school teachers.
“It’s now or never. President Aquino has one last chance, through the last budget proposal of his administration, to grant the much-needed pay hikes to government employees. It’s been three years since the last increase. He must do it now,” he said.
The term of the President will end in June next year. He is also expected to present his proposed 2016 budget to Congress in July after the State of the Nation Address.
“The President can expect a smoother opening of classes if he announces that the budget next year will contain the pay hikes that public school teachers have long needed and demanded.”
Tinio said per his estimates, his proposal of minimum monthly salaries of P25,000 and P16,000 for public school teachers and other government employees, respectively, will entail at least P142.5 billion in additional budget. Nearly P50 billion will be for teachers.
“What’s P142.5 billion compared to the hundreds of billions in pork-barrel funds at the President’s disposal? At least we can be sure that salary increases will directly benefit civil servants and their families and not go to the pockets of corrupt politicians,” Tinio added.
Months before the President presents the proposed 2016 budget, the Palace is still silent on several requests for salary hike.
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Ang galing ni Tonio pagpork ng iba.