PETITION FOR PERA INCREASE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT (OP) THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT (DBM) 

Living wage is a right of all workers, including those in government, enshrined in our 1987 Philippine Constitution. It was  for this reason why the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) was first conceived in 1991 to augment basic pay of government workers as a cushion against inflation. Congress Joint Resolution No. 4 in 2009, combined earlier allowances (P500/month PERA and P1,500/month additional compensation or ADCOM), into the current P2,000/month. Since then, or for 16 years, there has been no increase in the PERA/ADCOM.

Several bills, such as HB 206, HB 6537, HB 128 and SB 1027, have been filed in Congress in response to this actual longstanding need to increase it and demands from government workers. The increase range from P4,000 to P7,000/month. HB 207 also proposes to include mechanisms for automatic adjustments based on inflation to keep its value relevant.

Based from past computations of the National Wages and Productivity Council (NWPC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and current consumer price index (CPI), it was estimated that a family of five would need P1,200/day or P36,000/month to live decently. However, the second tranche salary rates of government employees, based from EO 64,  from SG 1 (P14,061/month) to SG 12 (P32,245/month) is still below living wage standards.

The economic situation of ordinary government employees has become so dire that we demand initial increase in the amount of PERA by January 2026 in the same way that executive interventions were undertaken for an increase in the base pay and subsistence allowance for military and uniformed personnel (MUP) through EO 107 by the President.

We sign and submit this appeal to the President through the DBM, fervently hoping for a timely and meaningful response to the worsening economic plight of ordinary government employees.

Signed this 23rd day of December, 2025.

Orig. Signed
SANTIAGO Y. DASMARINAS JR.
President, Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE)

Orig. Signed
BONIFACIO CARMONA JR.
President, Alliance of Health Workers (AHW)

Orig. Signed
RAYMOND BASILIO
Secretary General, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)

Orig. Signed
MANUEL R. BACLAGON
COURAGE Secretary General

Orig. Signed
ALAN A. BALABA
President, Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines (SWEAP)