Diokno firm against release of govt workers’ pay hike without 2019 budget
Credit to Author: MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO, TMT| Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2019 05:11:24 +0000
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reiterated that it would wait for the approval of a new budget and would answer a petition by Majority Leader Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. of the House of Representatives before the Supreme Court to compel the DBM to release the fourth tranche of a salary increase for government workers under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).
“We have to wait for the passage of the 2019 GAA (General Appropriations Act) otherwise we do not have legal basis for the implementation of the fourth tranche (of the Salary Standardization Law),” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said during a press briefing after being informed of Andaya’s petition for Mandamus also on Monday.
“It’s good that there is a Mandamus case before the SC so once and for all we can resolve this issue,” he said.
The DBM also said it was now preparing a reply once the Supreme Court orders an explanation on the issue.
“We are preparing for that. Basically, the provisions are very clear and those are the provisions that we will be emphasizing in our answer,” Budget Undersecretary Janet Abuel also said during the briefing.
Diokno cited previously Executive Order 201 series of 2016, which states that the implementation of the salary schedule was “subject to appropriations by Congress.”
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