PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. adjusted the different allowances for Filipino government personnel deployed abroad to promote their welfare and make the benefits attuned to the present time.
The President, through Executive Order 73 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin last October 30, said the cost of living overseas has changed due to significant changes in the global socio-economic landscape.
“The government, within the limits of its financial capability, has a duty to ensure that personnel assigned overseas are provided with adequate means to live in a manner that reflects their representative roles, allowing them to effectively represent the country with distinction and dignity,” Marcos said.
Executive Order 156, issued in 2013, provides that the allowances of foreign service personnel may be reviewed and adjusted every two years by the secretaries of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Budget and Management (DBM) to respond to significant changes in the economic climate.
The President, in issuing EO 73, amended EO 156 which prescribed the prevailing overseas, living quarters, family and representation allowances of foreign service personnel.
The adjusted rates for the allowance indices, along with the annual base rates of living quarters, rates of representation, family and education allowances of foreign service personnel shall be implemented in four annual tranches.
For example, the salary of a Chief of Mission I shall be adjusted from the current $83,519 to $97,823 in the first year, $104,976 in the second year, $112,128 the third year and $116, 896 in the fourth year; while a Chef of Mission II shall rise from $72,625 to $85,064 on the first year, $91,283 on the second year, $97,502 on the third year, and $101,649 on the fourth year.
The DFA and DBM will issue the implementing rules and regulations and funding for the initial year of implementation, which shall be charged from the agency savings and/or the miscellaneous personnel benefit funds under the 2024 General Appropriations Act.
The order will take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
The President last October 26 signed 10 bills into law that created new branches of regional trial courts (RTCs), municipal trial courts in cities (MTCCS) and metropolitan trial courts (MeTCs) throughout the country.
The laws include Republic Act (RA) No. 12044 which created 12 additional RTC branches of the Fourth Judicial Region in Los Baños and Cabuyao City, and one MTCC in Cabuyao, all in Laguna; and RA 2045 which created two additional RTC branches and two MTCC branches in the Ninth Judicial Region in Pagadian in Zamboanga Del Sur.
Also signed into law were RA 12046 which created 10 additional RTC branches and eight MTCCs branches in the Fourth Judicial Region in Antipolo in Rizal; RA 12047 which created two additional RTC branches in the Eleventh Judicial Region in Samal and Panabo City, both in Davao Del Norte; and RA 12048 that created four (4) additional RTC branches and four MTCCs branches in the Eighth Judicial Region in Ormoc in Leyte.
RA 12049 created two additional RTC branches In the Twelfth Judicial Region in Tubod in Lanao Del Norte; while RA12050 provided one additional MTCC branch in the Tenth Judicial Region in Malaybalay in Bukidnon; and RA 12051 created two additional MTCCs branches in the Sixth Judicial Region in Bacolod in Negros Occidental.
RA 12052 created three additional RTC branches and two MeTC branches in Navotas while RA 12053 created three additional MTCC branches in the First Judicial Region in San Carlos in Pangasinan, and RA 12054 created two additional RTC branches in the Tenth Judicial Region in Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
The new laws directed the Chief Justice, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice, to include in the court’s program the operationalization of the additional branches of RTCs, MTCCs and MeTCs.
The President also signed into law RA 12037 which declared March 2 of every year as La Union Day; RA 12038 which declared August 1 of every year as Samar Day; and RA 12039 which declared September 1 of every year as Araw ng Bukidnon.
