NURSES and teachers cannot expect a salary increase under the Duterte administration, at least for the year 2017. Diokno noted that the 2017 budget only earmarked a P39-billion fund for the salary increase of the military, police and other men in uniform, because nurses and teachers in the government are already paid higher than their private sector counterparts. “To increase it further…e todo ambisyon naman `yun [that would be too ambitious]because we are really measuring the government employees’ salary as compared with the private sector,” Diokno added. The Duterte administration plans to reduce the individual income tax rate to 25 percent from up to 32 percent. We need congressional action for the salary adjustment,” Diokno added.

Source: Manila Times August 22, 2016 16:41 UTC