By BEN R. ROSARIO

A total P68.4 billion will be spent by the government to implement the second phase of salary increases for government employees next year.

This was revealed Friday by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. who said Malacañang has earmarked P235.2 billion for education to underscore the Arroyo administration’s policy of giving the education sector high priority in the proposed P1.541 trillion budget for 2010.

Some 1.13 million national government workers will enjoy additional pay next year as authorized in the Salary Standardization Law II that took effect last month.

Of the P68.4 billion proposed allocation for salary adjustment, P44.44 billion will be utilized to fund the full 2010 requirement of the first installment of the SSL III.

The remainder of P23.94 billion will underwrite the second tranche of SSL III and will take effect July next year.

“We have already set aside money for the salary increase of government workers . Any news of its delay or ditching is pure speculation. So by July next year, the second round of increases will be in their pay envelopes, “ Andaya said.

The SSL III is a four-year plan beginning 2009 to adjust public sector pay through higher rates in the 33-step government pay scale.

Andaya, who submitted the proposed General Appropriations Act of 2010 to the House of Representatives, said local government and government corporation employees are not covered by the earmark for salary increases.

Although covered by SSL III, workers in local government and state-owned firms will have to get funding for their salary adjustments from the agencies they serve.

Meanwhile, Reps. Annie Susano (Lakas-Kampi, Quezon City) and Nur Jaafar (Lakas-Kampi, Tawi-tawi) lauded government for pouring huge funds to finance the education program.

Susano and Jaafar said they will support the proposed P235.2 billion allocation for education in 2010.

Susano, chairperson of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development, said the increased budget for education is expected to finance the construction of additional school buildings and purchase more books for public school students.

“Education will be a big factor in ensuring a better future for our youth. Mindanao should be given a big slice of the education budget if only to demonstrate
government’s sincerity in giving our constituents a better deal for the future,” said Jaafar.

Andaya revealed that the budget for the education sector, which also covers “culture and manpower”, will corner almost half of the P480 billion earmarked for social services in the proposed P1.541 trillion 2010 national budget.