Aquino urged to assure Christmas bonus
for national government employees

Sen. Ralph G. Recto yesterday urged President Aquino to reach into the treasury's 'piggy bank' and grant over one million national government employees an extra Christmas bonus for this year.

"It has been always my belief that granting our public servants with an extra incentive this Yuletide season is a necessary expenditure. Not only does it boost the morale of our government workers, it also works to increase productivity in the national bureaucracy," Recto, chair of the Senate ways and means committee, said.

"The high trust rating President Aquino is receiving from the people translates to an affirmative vote of confidence in favor of the whole national government machinery. It should not be difficult to justify investing in your people."

The senator said the grant of this extra incentive to national government workers becomes even more imperative in light of recent reports that officials and senior employees of certain government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) receive "shameful" amounts of perks, bonuses and allowances.

"This extra Christmas bonus for national government employees shall still pale in comparison to what is being enjoyed by their counterparts in some GOCCs. It can even be very demoralizing," he said.

Recto said he will support any move to grant a Christmas bonus to government workers on top of the regular year-end benefits of one month pay and cash gift of P5,000.

He clarified this extra incentive is for national government employees only, as local government employees' benefits are subject to local funds and those of GOCCs are drawn from their corporate budgets.

"This extra bonus can be sourced from savings. It doesn't matter how much is granted, as it depends on how much savings are there, for as long as some amount is given," he said.

"And like last year, victims of calamities such as the recent typhoon also include national government employees. We should not allow them to spend another bleak holiday season.