P500 hike in gov’t workers’ allowance ‘an insult’

The Confederation of Independent Unions in the Public Sector (CIU-Sentro) has criticized the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) proposed P500 monthly increase in the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (Pera) for government employees in 2027.

In a statement, the labor group said the proposed adjustment was inadequate, noting that the allowance has remained at P2,000 for 17 years.

The proposed P500 increase is equivalent to about P16.67 per day, which CIU-Sentro said would not be enough to keep up with rising prices of food, transportation, electricity, housing and other basic necessities.

“After 17 years, government workers are being offered P500. This is not economic relief. It is a grave insult to the public servants who keep the government running every day,” it said.

See Also

Budget watchdog wary of closed-door negotiations

The DBM confirmed the P500 increase during House budget deliberations on Sept. 15. House Bill No. 3874, or the Akbayan partylist’s “Dagdag Pera Bill,” proposes raising the allowance to P8,000.