The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) appeals to Budget Department and Malacanang to retain the amount of P10, 000 productivity enhancement incentive (PEI) for all government employees or raise it to P15, 000.00 instead of the P5, 000.00 PEI and performance-based bonus (PBB) on top of it for this year. The group argued that until now, most of the people from the Department of Education (DepEd) especially the teachers are not aware on the amount of their bonus.
“We appreciate the generosity of the government for granting this bonus, however, we appeal that the P10, 000.00 PEI it granted since year 2007 be retained or raised regardless of the amount of the PBB.” said Benjo Basas, Caloocan City teacher and TDC’s national chairperson. “We further hope that said bonus will be given on time” he continued.
In previous years, PEI is released to government employees before Christmas break. “However, since the guidelines to determine the performance of agencies was only released by the inter-agency task force (IATF) lead by DBM last November 12, the agencies would have a hard time to comply with the intricate requirements to determine the eligibility of agencies and employees to the performance-based bonus.” Basas added.
According to the EO No. 80 of this year, which is also the basis of the IATF’s MC No. 2012-03, government officials and employees would be entitled to a PEI in the amount of P5, 000.00 and a performance-based bonus that varies depending on the performance of the agency and the individual employee. Thus the bonus would range from P5, 000.00 for the good performing individuals in a good performing agency up to P35, 000.00 for the best performing individuals in the best performing agencies. Best performing agencies are those in the top 10% while the better performing are those in the next 25% and the good performing or actually the least performing agencies are those in the bottom 65 per cent.
The TDC also warn that division and disparity in the field may occur due to these guidelines. “For this particular year, we are not convinced that this performance-based bonus shall be implemented. It might cause disparity and would further divide the field. Everyone would be comparing his/her bonus to colleagues and perhaps would question the evaluation process.” Basas explained.
Basas clarified however that his group is not against giving incentives to performer and agrees that the non-performing employees or agencies should have less incentives, but, “We should be very careful in evaluating the performance of individuals and agencies. There should be a clear-cut policy and incontestable process. Our fear is that if we let the evaluation of performance to discretion of the unit head, objectivity might be questionable. Given the time left for the whole system to do it, then it might be prone to inconsistencies.” Basas furthered.
The group is planning to meet with DBM officials to clarify the matter.
“We believe that there should be a performance-based merit system, but we also believe that a mechanism for an effective measurement especially for this year is not ready.” Basas ended. #
It is very unfair on our part as we are here in Mindanao and we don’t have updates regarding with the PEI and PBB. We are going to receive our PEi this week and hopefully the said PBB wouldn’t be too long to release. We, the teachers of La Paz NHS, Agusan del Sur would like to address this sentiments of ours to our Beloved Philippine President Benigno C. Aquino III for him to clarify the PBB issue. Our hearts were bleeding as we learned that our bonus was being decreased into P5,000.00 for it can’t suffice our basic needs this Christmas.
Hopefully that even just one personnel from Malacanan Palace would read this message and address our agony….
Thank you and God Bless Teachers of the Philippines…
Malacanang has been deaf on this issue. The PBB will have to be resolve next year, by January. Meaning, we will have to settle for less this Christmas. This is a result of another “kapalpakan” by our officials, if you’ll just study this PBB issue carefully.
I wonder why you are not updated on this one there in Mindanao. Keep accessing the net.