Budget Secretary Rolando G. Andaya Jr., has issued on December 11, 2008 Budget Circular No. 2008-5 to implement Administrative Order No. 250 signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on December 10, 2008.
Pursuant to AO No. 250, all personnel of the Government are entitled to receive a one-time reward of a maximum of Ten Thousand Pesos each as performance bonus, in recognition of their commendable effort in attaining efficiency in government operations, despite the economic difficulties which may arise as a result of the global financial crisis.
Secretary Andaya said that all permanent, temporary, casual or contractual personnel of national government agencies including government owned and controlled corporations and government financial institutions whose salaries are charged against their Personal Services allocation and who are still in service as of November 30, 2008, are entitled to receive the performance bonus.
The Performance Bonus will not be granted to personnel of NGAs, GOCCs and GFIs who have already received extra cash gift or additional benefit in Fiscal Year 2008 over and above the year-end benefit authorized under RA 6686, as amended by RA 8441 as implemented by Budget Circular No. 2005-6 dated October 28, 2005.
The DBM shall release, the amount of P7,000 per employee of NGAs not belonging to the Constitutional Offices/Fiscal Autonomy Group, chargeable against the unreleased appropriations under the Fiscal Year 2008 budget which was pooled by DBM for the purpose.
The remaining Performance Bonus requirements of P3,000 per employee of NGAS shall be charged against their respective savings in allotment. In the event that the agency savings is insufficient to coven in full the remaining P3,000 per employee, DBM said, that payment thereof shall be subject to the amount available as savings provided that a uniform amount shall be given to all employees.
The total requirements of P10,000 per employee of NGAs belonging to the CFAG like congress, CSC, Judiciary, COA, Comelec, CHR and Ombudsman, shall be charged against the available savings in allotment. In the event that the CFAG does not have sufficient savings to cover in full the P10,000 per employee, payment thereof shall be subject to the amount available as savings provided that a uniform amount shall be given to all employees.
For GOCCs and GFI, the amount needed shall be charged against their respective corporate funds.
Those who are not entitled to receive the Performance Bonus are government personnel who are absent without leave; those who have been hired not as part of the organic manpower of agencies but as consultant or experts; student laborers; apprentices; laborers of contracted projects; those whose remuneration are not taken from the budgetary allocation for Personal Services; those who are formally charged with administrative cases as well as criminal cases which relate to acts or omissions in connection with their official duties and functions and found guilty, except when the penalty is a mere reprimand.
The performance bonus of government personnel detailed with another government agency or special projects, shall be drawn from their respective mother agency. In the case of those paid from project funds, the Performance Bonus shall be drawn from the same source where they draw their salaries.
The performance bonus of government personnel employed on a part-time basis shall be pro-rated corresponding to the services rendered.
For personnel who transferred from one agency to another, their performance bonus shall be granted by their new office.
Government personnel who have received any unauthorized extra cash gift or additional benefit or allowance prior to the issuance of the Circular shall refund any excess of the amount herein authorized or shall be entitled to the difference if they receive less than P10,000.
You may be interested. Here is the official portal of the Office of the President. It was opened last December 8, 2008 coinciding with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
The Office of the President website, which has been in use since 2002 has recently been upgraded and redesigned with the aim of improving service and user-friendliness to the public.
New voters will have no more excuses or alibi for not registering to participate in the national and local elections by the second Monday of May, 2010.
The reason? They have more than 365 days by which to go to municipal and city offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to register so their names will be officially included in the voters' list.
And they need not wait their for their 18th birthday to do just that -- as long as their natal day falls on the date of the 2010 elections, which is, again, on the second Monday of May; so right now they can go to the Comelec offices anytime during office hours, even tomorrow.
This much was revealed by a personnel at the provincial Comelec office here, adding that those turning 18 on such a date two years hence are already qualified to register.
The year-long Comelec listing, started on December 2, 2008, would be until December 19 only for this year because of the holidays, but it will resume by January 2, 2009, until the close of the working hours by the end of next year, it was learned.
The source at the provincial Comelec told PIA that new registrants would bring only an identification card, such as a school ID, and a birth certificate in going to the nearest Comelec office for the registration process.
At the City Comelec office, an observer informed PIA that by his own estimate, more than one hundred young, new voters had showed up to register since the poll body announced last week that its doors are now open for the continuing registration.
The early listing was meant to avoid rush during registration deadline, including the listing of transferees or transferred voters, but many still had to cram up at the last minute, prompting the polling offices to extend the time.
The Comelec had hoped to reverse this trend by campaigning and encouraging new voters early on to make use of the long time allotted for voters' registration.
Source: http://gov.ph
Are you planning to donate blood? You may need to read this first:
Who can donate?
To ensure the safety of blood supplied, donors must meet certain requirements before donating.
You may be eligible to be a blood donor if you
- weigh more than 45 kilograms (100 lbs.) for 250 ml. of donated blood;50 kilograms (110 lbs.) for 450 ml. of donated blood
- are in good health
- are aged 16-65 years of age ( for ages 16 & 17, parental consent is needed)
- blood pressure in safe range - 90- 160 mmHg systolic and 60-100mmgHg diastolic
- hemoglobin is at least 125 g/l (12.5 g/dl)
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Hyperthyroidism
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Severe psychiatric disorder
- Epilepsy / convulsions
- Severe bronchitis & other lung disorders, such as TB
- AIDS, Syphilis & other sexually transmitted diseases (past or present)
- Malaria
- Kidney & liver diseases, such as Hepatitis
- Prolonged bleeding
- Use of prohibited drugs
- Go to the nearest BLOOD COLLECTION UNIT (BCU) located in a government hospital
- Register as a potential blood donor
- Your health history will be taken
- A physical examination follows to check on your weight, temperature, pulse and blood pressure.
- A blood test will be done to know your blood group type
Unless whole blood is urgently needed, your blood donation, once cleared by all screening tests, is separated into its components - and using the particular component needed by a patient, it is now possible to use a single donation to treat several patients suffering from different illnesses. The technique is known as 'blood component therapy'.
Who receives blood?
From a single blood donation, up to 13 products can be produced, all serving a vital function to others in need.
Those who receive blood form donations include:
- patients suffering from shock
- lost 20% or more of blood in an accident
- loss in surgery
- leukemia
- childbirth
- major trauma
- liver transplants
- hemophilia
Red cell concentrates are the most widely used blood component. Most patients requiring transfusions are in need of the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red cells, however few require whole blood. Most require red cells only. Red cell concentrates contain all the red cells of a unit of blood in about half the original volume. These red cells are mixed with special additive solution containing extra glucose and other substances to keep the cells alive and functioning.
Platelet concentrates are used to control bleeding due to platelet deficiencies. These may be caused by disease (e.g. leukemia) or may follow severe hemorrhage. Platelet concentrates can be stored for 5 days.
Cryoprecipitate is occasionally used for the treatment of Haemophilia A, the most common inherited bleeding disease, but is more commonly used in the treatment of massive bleeding.
How is blood kept free from bacteria?
Blood is collected with special care to avoid contamination, then kept cold to prevent bacteria from growing. Refrigerators with thermostatic controls keep the blood temperature between 4degC and 6degC. An alarm sounds if it varies outside these limits and an auxiliary power source is used to keep the refrigerator operating if the power supply fails.
When blood is transported, similar temperatures are maintained by using insulated carrying boxes and ice refrigerated delivery vehicles.
For how long can blood be stored?
Whole blood and red cell concentrates were in the past stored for four weeks. With the new blood preservatives the shelf life can be safely extended to five weeks. Plasma can be stored frozen for 12 months.
What to expect when donating...
Upon arrival at the blood collection unit/blood bank, you will be asked to fill up a Donor's Form.
It is important that we protect both you and the patients who receive your blood from suffering any adverse affects from your donation. Therefore, on your first visit, you will be interviewed about your past and present medical history. This will take about 15 minutes and is confidential.
To ensure that your hemoglobin (iron) level is high enough for you to donate, a small sample of blood from your finger will be tested. (We don't want you to be anemic after you donate).
Before you donate blood, your blood pressure will be measured. The donation takes 5-10 minutes. Approximately 450cc of blood will be taken, which is about 7-9% of the blood volume of an average adult.
The volume will be replaced by your body within 24-48 hours and by drinking more fluids.
Every time you donate, your blood is tested for diseases such as HIV (AIDS), Syphilis and both Hepatitis B&C. Your donation is also checked to identify and confirm your blood group.
After donating blood...
Keep an eye on your dressing. You should leave the adhesive dressing on your arm for at least 3 hours but not more than twelve (12) hours. Do not be alarmed if some bruising or discoloration occurs. It will disappear in a few days.
Avoid carrying heavy objects with your donating arm. And do not smoke for the next 2 hours and avoid alcohol intake for the next twelve (12) hours.
Eat regular meals and increase fluid intake following your donation.
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If you are applying for a job, one of the requirements is a certification that you are not (or no longer) a drug user. There are a lot of non-accredited testing centers nowadays and to avoid hassle, see the list of the accredited drug testing centers here.
Click Here to Read More..For government casual and contract workers who hopes to receive a bonus this Christmas, here's good news! Got this from http://balita.ph/ and the official website of the government of the Philippines also confirms this.
PGMA approves P10,000 yearend bonus for gov’t employees
December 4, 2008 9:44 pm
http://balita.ph/2008/12/04/pgma-approves-p10000-yearend-bonus-for-govt-employees/
MANILA, Dec. 4 — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved a P10,000 yearend productivity bonus for all government workers, including contractual and casual employees who have been in the service for at least four months.
The much-awaited report on the yearend bonus came in tandem with the good news that the salaries of government employees will be increased every year over the next four years starting in 2009.
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., who announced in Malacañang today the yearend productivity bonus and the salary increase, said the cash gift will entail an allocation of at least P11 billion.
The staggered wage hikes, on the other hand, will require a budget of P109 billion over the four-year period.
Andaya said that P7,000 of the yearend bonus will be shouldered by the national government, while the balance of P3,000 will come from the savings of the employing agency.
“I have been authorized by the President to end all water-cooler 'chismis', lunchtime talk, powder-room chitchats, evening novenas on what will be this year’s yearend productivity bonus,” said Andaya in finally ending speculations on “how much in extra Christmas bonus each government employee will receive this year.”
The details of the extra Christmas bonus will be spelled out in an Executive Order that President Arroyo will be signing soon and a circular of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Andaya said.
“A few might say that the P10,000 is too little, but to them, let me give this bottomline so they can see the big picture – this cash gift will cost… for national government workers alone P11 billion,” he added.
He explained that the salary increase for government workers will be given in four tranches or four “gives” from 2009 to 2012, with the first installment totalling P20 billion.
“This is the amount included in the proposed national budget for 2009,” said Andaya, who added that government has also issued the implementing rules of Executive Order No. 641 establishing a provident fund in each government agency.
The staggered salary increase is contained in “Standard Salary Law (SSL) 3, which the proposed Joint Congressional Resolution 24 seeks to realize,” he said.
In SSL 3, the government is coming up with higher pay and position scale based on the principles of, among others, “equal pay for work of equal value, comparability with private sector compensation, performance-based incentive scheme, and fiscally-supportable, modest and reasonable,” Andaya explained.
To cite an example, under the proposed staggered wage hike, the salary grade of a Medical Specialist lV will be raised from 24 to 25, and his basic monthly salary will be increased two-fold from P25,196 to P54,975 in 2012.
“A Nurse lll, on the other hand, will climb two rungs up from SG 16 to SG 18, and his monthly basic salary from the present P17,059 to P32,018 in 2012,” Andaya said.
Citing another example, the budget secretary pointed out that under the new wage scheme, the salary of an Associate College Professor V will increase from P23,294 to P43,541; and a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engineer lll from P20,318 to P34,644.
Andaya said that the Arroyo administration had always redeemed its commitments on salary hikes for government workers. “In just 30 months, we increased government workers’ salaries three times, or once every 300 days on the average.
“As a result, an ordinary teacher’s salary has increased by P3,087 since January 2006, that of an Army sergeant by P3,383, and that of a medical specialist by P5,043,” he added.
The budget chief stressed that no “government had ever raised the pay of its workers by so much in such a short time, yet this one had been so shy in claiming credit for such an unprecedented move.”
He said that the administration fully recognizes that government employees deserve the wage increase as a matter of “fair pay for a fair day’s work.” (PNA)
Check-out also RP's official website:
http://www.gov.ph/news/default.asp?i=22974
My fresh grad friend recently had a problem opening his own savings account because he only has one valid ID, which is his school ID. If you are like him, you need not worry anymore because the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) recently issued a circular that from now on, banks should be asking only one (1) identification card for banking transactions.
Effective as early as June 2008, the BSP circular relaxes the bank’s requirement on IDs and also expanded the list of IDs a bank client can use.This hopes to “promote access of Filipinos to services offered by formal financial institutions,” as well as to “encourage and facilitate remittances of OFWs through the banking system.”
For first-time bank clients, the following IDs may be presented:
Students who are beneficiaries of remittances who are not yet of voting age can still open an account by presenting the original and submitting a clear copy of one valid photo-bearing school ID duly signed by the principal or head of school.
