Deputy Speaker and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar on Thursday pushed for the approval of a bill granting a mandatory 13th pay for government workers, regardless of their employment status, including job order personnel and contractual employees.
In filing House Bill 6541 or the proposed 13th Month Pay Law for Contractual and Job Order Personnel,” Villar said the measure will benefit thousands of job order and contractual personnel working in the government, enabling them to cope with prices” as inflation sizzled to a 14-year high of eight percent in November.
“These temporary hires had been languishing in government agencies and state-owned corporations for several years, some even decades, and their work and competency could be akin with permanent hires,” Villar said. She added such workers perform the functions of regular employees.
“Despite their commitment and service to the public, they are not given full entitlements and are not entitled to legally mandated bonuses as prescribed by law especially accorded to regular state workers, such as those given during the middle and end of the year,” Villar noted.
Under the measure, entitled to receive the 13th month pay are those who have rendered a minimum of three months service with the government before July 1 of the current fiscal year, prior to the granting of the 13th month pay.
Also, the minimum amount of 13th month pay shall not be less than half of the monthly salary received by the employee.
Villar underscored the importance of these workers in the delivery of government services to the public, and giving them the much-needed boost will help them cope with the increasing prices.
Citing recent data, Villar said 493,900 were appointed as job order personnel and 148,100 were hired on a contractual basis.
The bill has been referred to the House appropriations committee for action.