Nais pong linawin ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ang ilang kumakalat na pahayag kaugnay ng panukalang 2026 National Budget, partikular ang alegasyon na maaantala o maaapektuhan ang salary increases at retirement benefits ng mga guro, kawani ng pamahalaan, at uniformed personnel.

 

Una, ang sinasabing “nabawasan” na humigit-kumulang P24 bilyon ay hindi po tinanggal o kinansela. Ang naturang halaga ay para sa subsistence allowance increase ng uniformed personnel, na inilipat lamang mula sa Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) patungo sa kani-kanilang agency budgets.

 

Ang hakbang na ito ay bahagi ng patakaran ng pamahalaan na ilagay ang mga tiyak at regular na benepisyo sa mismong ahensyang nagpapatupad, upang mas diretso, mas mabilis, at mas malinaw ang paglalabas at paggamit ng pondo.

 

Ikalawa, ang salary increases ng mga kasalukuyang kawani ng gobyerno, mapa- civilian employees man o uniformed personnel, ay nakapaloob na po sa mga budget ng kani-kanilang ahensya.

Hindi po ito tinanggal, hindi po ito ipinagpaliban, at hindi maaapektuhan ang sahod ng mga kasalukuyang empleyado. Hindi na po ito nakalagay sa MPBF, kaya walang basehan ang pahayag na ito ay maaantala o mawawala.

 

Ang posibleng maapektuhan lamang, kung mayroon man, ay ang mga bagong kukuning empleyado, at ito ay nakadepende pa rin sa bilis ng pag-fill up ng mga bakanteng posisyon. Gayunpaman, ang pamahalaan ay may Special Purpose Funds, kabilang ang Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) at ang Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF), upang matiyak na may sapat na mekanismo para tugunan ang mga ganitong pangangailangan.

 

Ikatlo, kaugnay ng pension ng uniformed personnel, malinaw po na hindi ito apektado. Ang posibleng maapektuhan lamang ay ang mga bagong magre-retire na saklaw ng optional retirement, at ito ay dadaan pa rin sa umiiral na mga proseso at alituntunin.

 

Sa kabuuan, ang mga pondong tinutukoy ay hindi binawasan, kundi inilipat lamang sa mas angkop at mas direktang budgetary allocation. Ang layunin nito ay palakasin ang implementasyon, hindi bawasan ang benepisyo ng mga lingkod-bayan.

 

Muli, nais naming bigyang-diin na hindi tama at hindi wasto ang pahayag na maaapektuhan ang sahod at benepisyo ng mga guro, kawani ng pamahalaan, at uniformed personnel dahil sa panukalang 2026 National Budget.

 

Ang DBM ay nananatiling nakatuon sa pangangalaga ng kapakanan ng mga lingkod-bayan, at sa responsable, malinaw, at tapat na pamamahala ng pondo ng bayan.

 

 

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) would like to clarify recent claims about the proposed 2026 National Budget, particularly allegations that salary increases and retirement benefits for teachers, government employees, and uniformed personnel will be delayed or affected.

 

First, the reported P24 billion “reduction” was not removed or canceled. This amount is intended for the increase in subsistence allowance of uniformed personnel and was simply transferred from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) to the budgets of the concerned agencies.

 

This move follows the government’s policy of placing regular and specific benefits directly under agency budgets, so funds can be released and used more directly, faster, and with greater transparency.

 

Second, the salary increases of current government employees, whether civilian or uniformed, are already included in their respective agency budgets.

 

These were not removed, not postponed, and will not be delayed. Since these are no longer under the MPBF, claims that they will be affected are not accurate.

 

The only possible impact, if any, would be on new hires, and this would depend on how quickly vacant positions are filled. Even then, the government has Special Purpose Funds, including the MPBF and the Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF), to ensure there are sufficient mechanisms to address staffing and personnel needs.

 

Third, the pension of uniformed personnel is not affected. The only group that may be impacted are those newly retiring under optional retirement, and this will still go through existing rules, processes, and safeguards.

 

Overall, the funds in question were not reduced. They were simply realigned to more appropriate and direct budget items. The purpose of this adjustment is to improve implementation, not to reduce the benefits of public servants.

 

Once again, DBM stresses that claims saying the salaries and benefits of teachers, government workers, and uniformed personnel will be affected by the proposed 2026 National Budget are incorrect.

 

The DBM remains fully committed to protecting the welfare of public servants and to ensuring responsible, transparent, and accountable management of public funds.