PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday said personnel of the Department of Agriculture. which he heads in a concurrent capacity, will receive a bonus to be sourced from the department’s savings.
The President made the announcement during a photo opportunity with the DA personnel during the department’s 125th founding anniversary.
“Sen. Cynthia Villar and our fellow DA officials whispered to me. It is a shame that I am giving many orders to DA because it is your anniversary. There should be a bonus instead.
Then, let’s add some bonus. Undersecretary Ding Panganiban said you have some savings after all,” he said in Filipino.
Marcos joked that he announced the grant of bonus before the “groupie” photo to ensure that everyone is smiling in the photograph.
In a media interview, the President said DA officials will discuss how much saving the DA has and the amount of bonus to be given.
The government, through Administrative Order 263, signed by then President Fidel Ramos on March 28, 1996, grants an anniversary or milestone bonus of P3,000 or lower, depending on the available savings of to its employees, every five years or during the “milestones anniversaries” of an agency.
The anniversary bonus is usually given to the employees of agencies that have been in existence for 15 years or longer, and starts on the 15th year and every five years thereafter.
The President, during the anniversary commemoration, expressed confidence that the DA will achieve its goals as he said there are many good and capable people in the department.
He also reiterated his administration’s commitment boost agricultural production through the adoption of modern and applicable technologies, provisions of more high yielding seedling varieties, and improving irrigation through the establishment of a rainwater impounding center, among others.
Marcos said an increased agricultural productivity would translate to stable supply and lower prices of agricultural produce and livestock in the markets.
It would also make the country less dependent on imported products.
The President also directed the DA and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to come up with comprehensive studies on the rehabilitation and maintenance of the country’s marine habitats to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
