Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday announced an increase in the “inflation allowance” of Senate employees from P12,200 to P50,000.
During the first-ever face-to-face flag ceremony after the COVID-19 pandemic at the Senate grounds in Manila, Zubiri said the 3,000 Senate employees will receive their inflation assistance in August.
The Senate President also announced a rise in the medical allowance from P30,000 to P50,000 of Senate employees, which will be given in September.
The inflation and medical allowances are on top of the other benefits provided to the Upper House employees, like a monthly P30,000 transportation allowance, rice allowance, educational allowance, almost half a million pesos worth of HMO (health maintenance organization) cards, and a Christmas bonus.
Zubiri said the Senate decided to increase the incentives given to their employees as they are facing difficulties in their daily expenses due to the spiraling costs of goods and services.
He also announced that P30,000 will be given for each year of service to all retired employees.
These additional incentives, Zubiri said, came from the Senate’s savings.
Meanwhile, the Senate President appealed for an increase in the minimum wage of employees in the private sector.
He said the current minimum wage cannot be considered a “living wage.”