No pay hike for Iloilo provincial gov’t employees
The 45-percent ceiling on personnel services (PS) continues to hinder the provincial government here from granting the salary increase of its employees.
Unless properly addressed, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will disallow their proposed budget during its review.
DBM regional director Alfonso Bedonia said the provincial government which will soon be headed by incoming Gov. Arthur Defensor can still pass its 2010 budget provided that it will contain the budget for the entire year and not the remaining months.
Among the most critical part of the budget, however, is the allocation for the salary increase of capitol employees.
Bedonia said there are several options for them to consider; to convert their district hospitals into an economic enterprise so that they will have a separate budget of their own, to leave vacant all unfilled positions and rationalize to downsize the number of workforce.
He added they may also run to the 15th Congress and ask for the amendment of the law covering the salary increase and specifically appeal that the PS ceiling be waived.
At present, however, Bedonia would like to believe that the “less painful undertaking” for the government to do is to adopt the economic enterprise.
With economic enterprise, he opined that the provincial government can raise revenue by increasing hospital fees for those who can afford to pay.
The provincial government can allocate portion of its general fund to shoulder the hospitalization of those who could not afford to pay.
He added that the province may also opt to increase the coverage of its Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) so that they can have an increased capitation which is given back to the hospital.
Bedonia hoped that the incoming officials under Defensor “would come to their senses otherwise they will have no increase.”
To date, the provincial government continues to operate on a re-enacted budget. (PNA)
