MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. has filed a bill that would grant a P6,000 increase in the minimum pay of all government workers, including those in government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).

Under Senate Bill 2928, minimum wage earners from all national government agencies, GOCCs, government financial institutions, State Universities and Colleges, local government units and “other instrumentalities” of the government should be given a P6,000 raise.

The increase, however, should not reduce existing allowances and benefits.

“Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce any existing allowances and benefits of any form under existing laws, decrees, issuances, executive orders and any contract or agreement between employees and the government,” said the bill.

Revilla noted that at present, the minimum pay for government employees was only P6, 861 a month, “far from the government’s estimated cost of living of 28,710 per month.”

“Even if employees receive the full implementation of the Salary Standardization Law 3 (the last tranche will be on 2012), the minimum pay shall still only be P9,000.00,” he said in his explanatory note of the bill.

“The situation of employees in local government units is far worse as they receive lower amount because SSL 3 continue to implement the policy of wage regionalization,” he pointed out.

The current minimum pay, Revilla said, reflected the dismal state of public sector workers.

“While executives and top officials of the government are enjoying various perks and privileges, oftentimes even unconscionable, the employees who are at the frontline of delivering services to the public, are living in abject poverty,” he further said.