Photo credit: NEDA

Government employees can now breathe a sigh of relief! The long-awaited salary increase is officially underway, with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) working double-time to release the necessary funds across various government agencies.

As of 1:00 PM on September 10, 2024, a whopping Php 31.93 billion has been disbursed to 257 departments and agencies. On top of that, the remaining 58 agencies are already in line for processing, meaning the salary hike will soon be felt across the board.

DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman emphasized the urgency of the situation. "We're doing everything we can to release the budget to all agencies as soon as possible. Ito po 'yung pinakahihintay ng ating mga kasamahan sa gobyerno," she shared. The increase is also retroactive from January this year, so employees can expect to receive their salary differential once the funds are released to their respective departments.

To keep things transparent, Sec. Pangandaman has also launched the Salary Standardization Law VI (SSL VI) dashboard. This new feature on the DBM's website offers real-time updates on budget releases, making it easier for everyone to track the progress.

With the dashboard now live, government employees can easily monitor how soon their departments will receive the funds—and more importantly, when they can expect their long-awaited salary increase.