JV pushes P5-K PERA amid surging prices

Raising the monthly Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) for government employees from P2,000 to P5,000 will help them cope with rising prices after more than 15 years without an adjustment, Senator JV Ejercito said.

Under Senate Bill 2540, or the proposed “PERA Adjustment Act,” Ejercito said the increase would provide additional financial relief to more than three million public servants. The allowance has remained unchanged since 2009, when Congress last adjusted it under Joint Resolution 4.

The proposed increase also responds to calls from teachers and government workers’ groups, including the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, the Alliance of Health Workers and COURAGE.

“The purchasing power of the Philippine Peso has been severely affected by volatile energy prices, rising transport fares, global economic disruptions, and the escalating cost of essential goods and services, and the current P2,000 allowance is entirely insufficient to provide the genuine economic relief it was legally designed to deliver,” he said.

3-M public servants

Ejercito emphasized the importance of supporting the more than 3 million public servants who deliver essential services to Filipinos, including teachers, health workers, agriculturists, law enforcers, soldiers, and administrative personnel.

“By ensuring fair economic relief, the government retains competitive and dedicated talent, which directly translates to a more responsive, transparent, and effective government for all Filipinos,” he said.

According to the senator from San Juan, the measure aims to institutionalize PERA as a sustainable, future-proof subsidy that shields civil servants from future economic shocks without the need for constant legislative remediation.

The measure also provides for an automatic yearly adjustment equivalent to any increase in the country’s annual inflation rate, helping ensure that the allowance keeps pace with rising prices.

The measure covers government personnel in national and local government offices, whether appointive or elective, and those occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions, as well as military and uniformed personnel.

The measure excludes government personnel stationed abroad who already receive overseas allowances.