Ensuring the welfare and dignity of government workers, especially in dire times, is vital to nation-building. Providing commensurate assistance to civil servants shall help provide economic relief that will give them a higher sense of security. This is crucial to better performance of duty that can redound to more efficient public service.

The proposed Senate Bill No. 60 of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is a welcome measure that will help government employees cope with the rising cost of basic commodities due to inflation and oil price hike. It aims to increase the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance or PERA of some 1.8-million government employees to PhP4,000 from PhP2,000.

It is notable that SB 60 also seeks to be responsive to the annual inflation rate through equivalent and automatic yearly adjustment. This will help ensure the financial needs of state workers amid inevitable economic changes as well as during periods of volatility.

Government workers are expected to be responsive, to prioritize their public duties at all times, and to make necessary sacrifices in the exigency of service, particularly during times of crisis and disaster. This proposed measure helps to take care of the economic concerns of civil servants, which will help them better focus on delivering public service. Augmenting their income also helps restore the purchasing power of their salary so they can provide sufficiently for their family’s needs.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) recognizes that the proposed measure endeavors to uphold the value and dignity of state workers through concrete assistance. SB 60 is also a form of genuine recognition to the contribution and sacrifices of all government employees during this critical period of recovery. CHR encourages the urgent passage of the proposed bill to ensure timely economic relief for all government workers and their families. ###