Cash, rice incentives in store for qualified govt personnel

QUALIFIED government workers will soon be receiving a one-time servicerecognition incentive (SRI) and rice allowance.

This, after the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) disclosed last Saturday that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued two new administrative orders that will provide additional benefits to employees in the public sector ahead of the Christmas celebration.

The SRI, it said, will be given at a “uniform rate” to executive department personnel, and will not exceed P20,000.

Marcos Jr. also issued a separate advisory authorizing the grant of a one-time rice assistance for government personnel.

Both benefits will cover civilian personnel in national government agencies (Ngas)—including those working in state universities and colleges; government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCS); regular, contractual or casual employees; members of the military and the police; as well as fire and jail personnel under the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Other beneficiaries of the two advisories are workers from the Bureau of Corrections, Philippine Coast Guard, as well as the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, who are all entitled to enjoy the SRI.

Additional provisions

IN the issuance for the SRI, Marcos Jr. urged both houses of Congress, the judiciary, Office of the Ombudsman and constitutional offices to extend a similar benefit, which should be at most P20,000.

He also made a similar appeal to local government units in case their financial capability allows for the same incentive.

As for the rice allowance, the Chief Executive also allowed its release to individuals and groups whose services are engaged through job orders, contracts of service, or other similar work arrangements.

The budget of the rice aid for NGAS, military and uniformed personnel will be sourced from the Contingent Fund under Republic Act 11639 or the 2022 National Budget, while those for GOCCS will be obtained from their respective approved operating budgets for Fiscal Year 2022.

As of press time Malacañang has yet to release copies of the administrative orders for the SRI and the rice allowance.