Charles Teves
On Monday, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri announced an increase in the one-time inflation assistance the Senate provides its employees from P12,000 to P50,000.
In an interview with the media, Zubiri stated that the increase in benefits is intended to protect the 3,000 Senate employees from the rising cost of essential commodities due to inflation. This benefit increase represents a nearly 310% increase from the previous inflation allowance.
The senator declared, “So that we can help our employees in the Senate cope with the rising costs of goods, we will prioritize them… Charity begins at home, so in the Senate, we make sure all 3,000 staff have assistance.”
At the Senate’s flag-raising ceremony, the legislator stated that the one-time inflation assistance would be paid out in August. Zubiri also announced an increased medical incentive for employees from P30,000 to P50,000 in September.
“It’s expensive to get treatment and to have a hospital check-up nowadays, so we raised all our employees’ medical incentives and medical assistance. We used savings for this. When we have savings, we increase the incentives for our employees,” Zubiri added.
Netizens reacted violently to Zubiri’s statement.
Sana lahat ng public school teachers nationwide may "inflation asistance" din…??? https://t.co/uKr59iTS9U
— Big Bert Sy🇵🇭🇺🇸 (@ProfessorUno) February 20, 2023
This is where your taxes go. https://t.co/V2N6jylTZL
— Ate Dick (Inah Evans) (@_AteDick) February 20, 2023
Personal funds ninyo? O galit sa budget ninyo na galing sa tax ng taumbayan? https://t.co/eYkcYvSBG6
— simply_clinton (@Simply_Clinton) February 20, 2023
Ay bongga! Sana all nag work sa Senate. pic.twitter.com/XUuwPPHI9W
— DAVAOMIGRANT (@nabunturanguy) February 20, 2023
Senado: 50K na Ayuda para sa Inflation ✌️🇵🇭
Everyone: mga empleyado lang ba ng Senado apektado ng Inflation mga paps? pic.twitter.com/nh8iZQZWJ5— Filipino (@EricMartinezPH) February 20, 2023
We are reminded (yet again) why voting for leaders who genuinely care for the country is important.
Tandaan: sa gobyernong tapat, angat buhay LAHAT. Hindi lang kawani ng senado. TAYONG lahat ay aangat. https://t.co/Z2D3uudcmq
— 𝚃𝚒𝚝𝚘 𝙹 (@kolsenertito) February 20, 2023
Can we have a public reporting of how many employees each Senator has? https://t.co/2oXilUnnSA
— Ma'amSyj🇵🇭 (@MaamSyj) February 20, 2023
Ganito rin kaya ang magiging pake nila sa ordinaryong manggagawang Pilipino? https://t.co/5ivTZ1r0o5
— Paul (@jamesXpaul) February 20, 2023
The generous increase in benefits for employees, Zubiri said, “should be the template” for all government offices and agencies in terms of how to motivate government staff.
Zubiri approved plans to raise the minimum wage in the private sector during the same interview. Zubiri explained that the minimum wage is not enough hence the raise; this would help alleviate the lives of Filipinos.
Inflation jumped to 8.7 percent in January, and the Senate has introduced a resolution to increase the minimum wage to keep up with workers’ increased purchasing power.
