Gov’t workers to get mid-year bonus

THE mid- year bonus for government employees will be released May 16, the Department of Budget and Management ( DBM) said on Sunday.

In a statement, the DBM said it has already released to the various agencies the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for the government employees’ extra pay.

Based on the data on the number of filled positions in the Government Manpower Information System (GMIS), as of April 30, the mid-year bonus amounts to P31 billion.

The mid-year bonus is equivalent to one month basic salary as of May 15. This is in accordance with President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s Executive Order No. 201 in February 2016 and will be provided to all civilian, military, and uniformed personnel.

Based on Budget Circular 2016-3, the mid-year bonus will be given not earlier than May 15.

To be entitled, an em- ployee must have rendered at least a total or an aggregate of four months of service from July 1, 2015 to May 15, 2016, obtained at least a satisfactory performance rating in the immediately preceding period, and should still be in the service as of May 15.

“Those with less than four months of service, or those that are no longer in the service as of May 15, shall not be entitled to the bonus,” the DBM said.

The budget department also urged agencies to conduct performance evaluation for government employees who have rendered at least four months of service but have yet to receive performance rating, so they can be granted the mid-year bonus.

“According to Memorandum Circular No. 6, s. 2012, a performance evaluation shall be regularly conducted by all agencies twice a year or once every semester following the guidelines prescribed by the Civil Service Commission. However, if the organizational needs of the agency concerned require a shorter or longer period, the minimum evaluation period shall be at least 90 days or three months,” the DBM said.

Grants of mid-year bonuses in local government units (LGUs) are to be determined by the Sanggunian, subject to the personnel services limitations in LGU budgets.

They may also grant at lower rates but at uniform percentage of the basic monthly salary as of May 15, if funds are insufficient.

For government- owned and controlled corporations, the governing board shall determine the grant of the bonus charged against approved corporate operating budgets.

“If funds are insufficient, they may grant at lower rates but at uniform percentage of the basic monthly salary as of May 15,” the DMB said.