SEN. Ramon Revilla Jr. has filed a proposed measure seeking to grant 13th month pay to contractual workers in government.
Senate Bill No. 1621, filed last December 14, seeks to ensure the welfare of contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) government personnel by providing them 13th month pay.
Unlike regular government employees, COS and JO personnel don’t receive 13th month pay.
The 13th month pay is a monetary benefit equivalent to the monthly basic compensation received by an employee, computed pro-rata, given to all regular employees pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 851, Series of 1975 and the Labor Code of the Philippines.
Revilla, chairman of the committee on civil service, government reorganization and professional regulation, said government contractual workers play a vital role in the delivery of public service and should receive benefits given to regular government employees.
“The 13th month pay will augment the earnings of our JOs and COS as a major source of additional funding to be able to afford basic commodities during (the) Christmas season, a well-deserved reward for them,” Revilla said.
As of last June, an inventory of government human resources showed there are a total of 2,462,534 workers in the government, with 26 percent of 642,077 of the JOs and COS personnel.
“Ensuring the welfare of government workers is a vital component of nation-building. The State shall ensure the promotion of their rights and welfare in the faithful performance of their duties and functions, through the recognition of their rights as civil servants and the provision of remuneration, benefits, allowances, and other entitlements commensurate to the service they render to the country,” Revilla said
