ANTIQUE —The United Provincial Government Employees of Antique (UPGEA) is calling on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and national lawmakers to support House Bill No. 4790, which seeks to increase the monthly Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) of regular government employees from P2,000 to P6,000.
“We cannot deny that everybody is feeling the heat. Everyone is feeling the crisis,” said UPGEA president Ma. Lourdes Fortaleza, citing the growing financial strain on public sector workers.
UPGEA formalized its appeal through Resolution No. 02-2026, approved on April 11, urging the provincial board to endorse the measure. The group emphasized that government employees are increasingly burdened by rising prices and the declining purchasing power of the peso.
In response, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed Resolution No. 364-2026 on April 13, expressing support for the proposed legislation.
House Bill No. 4790, authored by Albay Rep. Raymond Salceda, aims to adjust the PERA, which has remained at P2,000 since it was standardized in 2009, despite years of inflation.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) underscore the erosion of purchasing power, with P1,000 now able to buy only about P750 worth of goods in 2026 compared to its value in 2018.
Fortaleza noted that while the allowance was sufficient when first implemented, it no longer meets the needs of government employees after more than a decade.
“Ang power kang peso kang 2009 nga P2,000 makatabang pa sa kinahanglan ka mga empleyado. Pero subong, indi na guid sapat,” she said, stressing the need for an increase after 17 years without adjustment.
UPGEA is also seeking the backing of Antique Lone District Rep. Antonio Agapito “AA” Legarda Jr., Coop-NATCCO Party-list Rep. Felimon Espares, and Senator Loren Legarda to help push the measure in Congress.
Amid the continuing rise in the cost of living, the organization has initiated relief efforts for its members. Beginning April 20, UPGEA started distributing five kilograms of rice to active members, which can be claimed until April 24 at the Antique Provincial Government Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (APGEMCO) office.
Fortaleza also encouraged provincial government workers to join the organization to strengthen its advocacy efforts.
“We are encouraging everybody to become part of UPGEA because we have always believed there is power in numbers,” she said./PN
