By GENALYN KABILING
Government employees in the Executive branch will get a one-time incentive of up to P10,000 in appreciation of their service based on a latest order from President Duterte.
The President signed Administrative Order No. 37 authorizing the grant of the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) to qualified civilian and uniformed State personnel for 2020.
“Government employees deserve to be rewarded for their collective and unceasing participation in an invaluable contribution to the Administration’s continuing efforts toward the establishment of streamlined government processes and more responsive delivery of public services, especially in the midst of the public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Duterte said in the order.
Covered by the SRI at a uniform rate not exceeding P10,000 are civilian personnel in national government agencies, including State Universities and Colleges, and government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs).
Personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Corrections, Philippine Coast Guard, and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority will also receive the SRI.
However, the President in the order has imposed certain conditions in the grant of the additional benefit for government employees in the Executive department.
The incentive will be given to civilian personnel occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions.
The State employees must also be in government service as of Nov. 30, 2020. They must have rendered a total or an aggregate of four months of “satisfactory service” as of end of November.
Employees serving less than four months will be entitled to a pro-rated share of the SRI.
Excluded from the incentive grant are consultants, laborers engaged through job contracts, student workers and apprentices, and persons engaged through job orders and contracts of service.
The President has allowed the concerned government agencies to fund the incentive from their Personnel Services (PS) allotments under the 2020 national budget. GOCCs may also use their corporate budges for the grant of the incentives.
Also in the order, the President said employees in the Senate, House of Representatives, Judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman, and constitutional offices may also be given a one-time SRI not exceeding P10,000.
Local government units may likewise give the SRI to their employees depending on their financial capability.
The payment of the SRI must be given to the qualified government employees not earlier than Dec. 21, according to AO 37.
The order, signed by the President on Dec. 18, was released by the Palace Monday.
