The Department of Budget and Management on Friday urged all government agencies to conduct an evaluation of their personnel’s performance as a basis for granting their mid-year bonus on May 15.
“We have been receiving queries on the guidelines for the grant of mid-year bonus, particularly for government employees who qualify based on their length of service, but have not yet received a performance rating by their respective agencies,” the DBM said in a statement.
“Thus, the DBM encourages government agencies to conduct the performance evaluation of their respective personnel for the grant of mid-year bonus on May 15, 2016,” the department said.
It added that pursuant to Budget Circular 2016-3, the grant of mid-year bonus requires government personnel to have rendered at least a total or an aggregate of four months of service from July 1, 2015 to May 15, 2016, to be currently in service as of May 15, 2016, and to have received at least a satisfactory performance rating in the immediately preceding rating period.
According to Memorandum Circular No. 6, s. 2012, a performance evaluation shall be regularly conducted by all agencies twice a year or once every semester following the guidelines prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.
However, if the organizational needs of the agency concerned required a shorter or longer period, the minimum evaluation period shall be at least 90 days or three months, the DBM said.
Government personnel will get their mid-year bonus totaling P31 billion, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.
Abad said the one-month mid-year bonus for most state officials and employees would be tax-free.
“Eight in every 10 civilian personnel will receive their bonus in full, or tax-free under Republic Act No. 10653, which provides that gross annual benefits not exceeding P82,000 shall be tax-exempt,” he explained.
Abad said those who would get their mid-year incentive in full include 970,943 personnel holding Salary Grades 1 to 16.