A PROPOSED measure to add more pay or compensation for government social workers is being pushed for passage at the House of Representatives.
House Bill 10585 seeks to amend Republic Act 9433 or the “Magna Carta for Public Social Workers.”
The proposed bill said social workers have long been considered as “frontliners” and their important role became more evident as the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are the ones that lead in the distribution of “ayuda” to poor families, provide services to kids, especially to the abused, traumatized or exposed in “armed conflict,” train women on possible livelihood opportunities, and more.
That is why the bill proposes to give due recognition to the dedication and the work extended by social workers by providing them with higher compensation.
Once enacted into law, the salary of entry-level junior officer public social workers should not be lower than “Salary Grade 13” or more than P28,000.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in consultation with the Social Work Management and Consultative Council, will be given the mandate to change the “index” of “Occupational Services, Groups, Classes and Salary Grades” in order to make adjustments to the salary and compensation of public social workers.
For local government units with not enough funds, they can propose an appropriate salary level or rate that must be approved by the Social Work Management and Consultative Council.