MANILA—The Manila City Council has recently passed two significant ordinances aimed at increasing the salaries of city government workers, as announced by Mayor Honey Lacuna.
According to Philippines News Agency, one ordinance will implement the first tranche of the modified salary schedule for local government personnel, in line with Executive Order (EO) 64 or the Salary Standardization Law 6 signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in August. This measure aligns with the national directive but will not be retroactive, adhering to the stipulations of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code.
The second ordinance approved provides a PHP2,000 salary increase for specific job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers, including street educators, nursing aides, trainers from the Manila Department of Social Welfare, and barangay nutrition scholars and health workers under the Manila Health Department. The increases are set to take effect on September 1, with the city still to publish copies of the approved ordinances.
Mayor Lacuna also expressed gratitude to the City Council members for their support in passing these ordinances, highlighting the significant roles and responsibilities borne by JO and COS workers. “They are the ones who carry heavy duties and we recognize that what they receive monthly is not enough; hence, we raised their salaries,” she stated.
These legislative changes were principally authored by Councilors Philip Lacuna, Pamela Fugoso, and Ernesto Isip Jr., marking a substantial step in enhancing the compensation for dedicated city workers.