Close to two million government employees are set to benefit from a P67.6-billion windfall, as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced plans to utilize idle funds from government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).

The unprogrammed appropriations will cover salary increases and personnel benefits, with a significant portion going toward the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) VI.

The DBM confirmed on Thursday that P40 billion will be allocated for salary increases, benefiting 1.82 million government workers as part of the four-year salary adjustment plan under SSL VI, which started in January. Subsequent annual increases will follow, beginning January 2025 through January 2027.

Under this first tranche, civil servants across all salary grades, from SG 1 to SG 31, can expect an average pay raise of 4.41 percent, slightly higher than was provided under the previous SSL VI.

In addition to the salary hikes, P27.6 billion will be earmarked for other personnel benefits, including compensation adjustments, staffing modifications, and the distribution of performance-based bonuses for employees of national government agencies.