BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental has assured its more than 3,000 employees that it will implement the fourth tranche of salary increase next year and allot a budget for their benefits, despite the cost-cutting measures.
Provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said yesterday morning that the capitol has implemented the third tranche of the salary increase for government workers effective July this year as approved by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
“Next year if we have additional savings we can also implement the fourth tranche under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL). The salary increase will depend on an employee’s salary grade,” Diaz said.
Those in the lower ranks and the middle managers will benefit from this latest round of salary hike.
Diaz also said the provincial government has retrained all its employees classified as job orders, casuals and contract of service as they are now considered essentials.
“They are professionals that do jobs required by national agencies but can’t be accommodated as regular employees,” he explained.
The provincial administrator further stated the hiring of additional employees continues as they replace employees who cannot continue their service for a variety of reasons.
The Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE), meanwhile, is thankful to the continued support of the provincial government.
PACE president Renelo Lastierre said they were invited to the budget conference and was assured by Diaz that the benefits of provincial government employees would also be increased.
PACE, on the other hand, encouraged employees to recompense the same through efficient public service.
Local government units face a 14.7 percent cut in their National Tax Allotment (NTA) next year.
Negros Occidental and its 31 towns and cities including its capital Bacolod City will suffer a P3.8 billion drop in NTA for 2023.
It means they will receive a total of P22,509,531,116 in 2023. They got P26,317,672,315 they got in 2022.
The provincial government’s NTA share will drop by P782,280,808./PN
