By Rey Panaligan

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday required the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to answer the petition that sought the immediate release of the fourth tranche of salary increases for government workers.

During its full court session, the SC decided that the DBM’s comment should be filed within 10 days from notice. It acted on the petition filed by the group of then House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr.

Earlier, DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno had announced that the fourth tranche of salary adjustments will be implemented upon the approval of the 2019 budget.

The Senate had passed on third and final reading the P3.757 trillion budget for 2019. The proposed appropriation will then go for deliberation in a bicameral conference.

Published reports stated that the 2019 budget may be finally approved by President Duterte first week of February.

The salary increases for government workers were provided for under Executive Order No. 201 that was issued by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2016. The fourth tranche would have been due last January 15, the first salary day for 2019.

In its petition, Andaya’s group said the release of the funds for the salary increases should be a ministerial duty of the DBM.

It said the DBM should release the funds even while the government is using a re-enacted budget for failure of Congress to pass the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the budget law.

“There is no basis for the delay in the release and disbursement of funds as there are available alternative sources of funds for the fourth tranche of personnel benefits under EO 201,” the petitioners said.

The petition cited two alternative sources to cover for the P42.7 billion needed for the salary increases. It said the funds can be secured from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) and the savings from the re-enacted 2018 budget.

It said the MPBF still has P99.4 billion which is “allowed to be used for payments of personal benefits, such as deficiencies in authorized salaries, bonuses, allowances, associated premiums and other similar personnel benefits of National Government personnel, among others.”