Senate secretariat also receiving fat bonuses, perks?

abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 10/28/2010

MANILA, Philippines - Senators are busy investigating the fat perks of those working in government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), but have they turned a blind eye to those among their ranks?


The Commission on Audit is now investigating the allegedly excessive bonuses Senate executives are receiving, specifically those working in the Senate Secretariat.

Based on documents obtained by ABS-CBN News, the Senate Secretary even receives allowances that are 5 times higher than the monthly pay.

The secretary, with a salary grade of 31, receives an estimated P48,000 a month. She is supposedly receiving about P219,232.99 in monthly allowances.

A Director VI, with a lower salary grade of 30, meanwhile receives about P34,000 in salaries a month. His or her allowance, however, reaches about P104,733.32 a month.

A Director V, with a salary grade of 29, receives a monthly salary of P30,000. His or her allowance reaches about P77,115 a month, however.

In an interview with Umagang Kay Ganda’s Punto Por Punto, Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) National President Ferdinand Gaite said “kung maglilinis sila ng bahay, linisin muna nila ang sarili nilang bahay.”

He said the allowances may have come in the form of representation and transportation allowances, extraordinary and discretionary funds, and the oft-repeated Priority Development Assistance Fund.

This, while other government employees are having a hard time stretching their meager salaries, he said.

Gaite said allowances with no basis should be returned back to the country’s coffers.

“Dapat equal treatment, walang bias,” he said. While cutting the excessive bonuses, the salaries of ordinary government workers should be increased, he said.

By the end of the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law, an employee with a salary grade of 1 will only be receiving P9,000 a month, he explained.

“Dapat may regulation sa kanilang unconscionable benefits…At tignan din ang problema ng maliliit na kawani,” he said.

Gaite is also calling on an investigation into the perks being received by employees, specifically the executives, of the House of Representatives.