• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Occidental provincial government will implement the salary increase for its employees starting Aug. 2 this year, but the effectivity would not be retroactive.
Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said on Monday, Aug. 19, that only national government agencies can implement retroactivity in the pay hike.
Nellas said that based on their interpretation of Executive Order 64 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., local government units are not covered by the retroactivity.
EO 64 mandates the increase in salaries of government workers, which also authorizes the grant of an additional allowance to state employees.
Nellas said that only the regular and casual employees of the provincial government may avail of salary increases.
For the national government agencies, the updated salary schedule will be implemented in four tranches: the first tranche on Jan. 1, 2024; the second tranche on Jan. 1, 2025; the third tranche on Jan. 1, 2026; and the fourth tranche on Jan. 1, 2027.
EO 64 takes effect retroactively, which means that the first tranche of implementation will be effective on Jan. 1, 2024.
Qualified government employees will also receive a medical allowance of P7,000 per annum as a subsidy for the availment of health maintenance organization-type benefits.
Meanwhile, the Himamaylan City Council granted the budget request of Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson for an increase in the salaries of regular city government employees.
Vice Mayor Justin Gatuslao, who presided over the regular session on Aug. 14, said that Tongson also encouraged the City Council to pass another resolution appealing to the Department of Budget and Management that salary increases be retroactive in nature, or covering the months of January to July this year.
The Himamaylan City government has about 350 regular employees. | GB
