The Department of Budget and Management has reminded government agencies Nov. 7 to ensure the timely payment of the year-end bonus and P5,000 cash gift to qualified government personnel, stressing that both benefits must be released together with the first November salary, not through a separate or later payroll.
It said that P82.99 billion has been allocated for the two benefits, covering qualified civilian, and military and uniformed personnel. Of the total allocation, P73.449 billion is intended for the bonus, while P9.549 billion covers the P5,000 cash gift.
DBM Secretary Kim Robert De Leon said the funds have already been released to concerned agencies, and that government workers should receive their benefits without unnecessary delay.
“Ang year-end bonus po ng mga government employees na katumbas ng one-month basic salary, kasama ang P5,000 cash gift, ay dapat matanggap kasabay ng first salary for November. Na-release na po ng DBM ang pondo para rito, kaya we want to remind our agencies to ensure the timely release of these benefit,” he stressed in a statement.
Under DBM Budget Circular 2024-3, qualified government employees are entitled to a year-end bonus equivalent to one month’s basic pay, as of Oct. 31, 2026, plus a P5,000 cash gift, subject to the prescribed eligibility requirements.
To qualify for the full year-end bonus and cash gift, government personnel must have rendered at least four months of aggregate service, equivalent to 120 days, from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31, 2026, and must remain in government service, as of Oct. 31.
Qualifying service includes actual service rendered in regular, contractual, or casual positions in the national or local government, including authorized leaves of absence with pay.
The DBM clarified that the appropriations for both benefits had already been fully released to concerned agencies at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026. The actual payment date depends on each agency’s payroll schedule, subject to the requirement that the benefits be paid simultaneously with the first November payroll.
The DBM reiterated that the timely release of these benefits is an obligation under existing government compensation policies, and urged concerned agencies to comply with the prescribed payment schedule. ||
