GRANT OF SERVICE RECOGNITION INCENTIVE TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. MAGKANO?

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to work together on providing a higher Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for public school teachers.

Recognizing the crucial role of teachers in molding the Filipino youth, the government aims to increase the SRI of an estimated 1,011,800 DepEd personnel from the current Php 18,000 to Php 20,000.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized on Tuesday the importance of increasing the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for public school teachers, describing them as a “special category.”

"Teachers are [a] special category. So we have to handle that individually," President Marcos told reporters when asked to comment on teachers’ SRI.

President Marcos ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to explore budgetary measures to ensure a raise in the SRI for teachers.

The government is targeting an SRI increase to approximately 1,011,800 DepEd personnel from PhP18,000 to PhP20,000.

To qualify to receive the SRI, the AO emphasized the following conditions:

- The civilian personnel are occupying regular, contractual or casual positions;

- The personnel are still in the government service as of 30 November 2024;

- The personnel have rendered at least a total or an aggregate of four (4) months of satisfactory service as of 30 November 2024, inclusive of services rendered under any of the alternative work arrangements prescribed by the Civil Service Commission;

- Those who have rendered less than a total or an aggregate of four (4) months of satisfactory service as of 30 November 2024 shall be entitled to a pro-rated SRI; and

- The employees have not received any additional year-end benefit in FY 2024 over and above the benefit authorized under Republic Act (RA) No. 6686, as amended by RA No. 8441.

Section 3. Exclusion from the Grant of the SRI. Those engaged without employer-employee relationship and whose compensation are funded from non-Personnel Services (PS) appropriations/budgets are excluded from the grant of the SRI, such as:

a. Consultants and experts engaged for a limited period to perform specific activities or services with expected outputs;

b. Laborers engaged through job contracts (pakyaw) and those paid on piecework basis;

c. Student workers and apprentices; and

d. Individuals and groups of people whose services are engaged through job orders, contracts of service or other similarly situated. The SRI is a yearly financial incentive granted to government employees to recognize their commitment and dedication to quality and responsive public service.

This December 2024, President Marcos Jr. has tasked the DBM and DepEd to explore budgetary measures to ensure the SRI increase for DepEd personnel can be implemented, while remaining mindful of fiscal responsibilities.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed his gratitude for the President’s directive, calling it a morale booster for the nation’s educators.

“This initiative underscores our shared goal of empowering teachers and reinforcing their critical role in shaping the future of Filipino learners,” Angara said.

Further announcements on the implementation and timeline for the increased SRI are expected as the DBM and DepEd finalize the necessary funding mechanisms.