By Jason de Asis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, November 13, 2010-Sen. Ralph G. Recto, chair of the Senate ways and means committee yesterday urged President Aquino to reach into the treasury's bank and grant over one (1) million national government employees an extra Christmas bonus for this year.

The Senator said that granting bonus to the country’s public servants are necessary expenditure to have an extra income this Yuletide season and it will boost the morale of the government workers and it will increase the national bureaucracy productivity.

Recto stressed that the high trust rating President Aquino is receiving from the people translates to an affirmative vote of confidence in favor of the whole national government machinery. It should not be difficult to justify investing in your people.

The grant of this extra incentive to national government workers becomes even more imperative in light of recent reports that officials and senior employees of certain government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) receive shameful amounts of perks, bonuses and allowances.

“The extra Christmas bonus for national government employees shall still pale in comparison to what is being enjoyed by their counterparts in some GOCCs. It can even be very demoralizing,” Recto said, adding that he will support any move to grant a Christmas bonus to government workers on top of the regular year-end benefits of one month pay and cash gift of P5,000.

“This extra incentive is for national government employees only, as local government employees’ benefits are subject to local funds and those of GOCCs are drawn from their corporate budgets,” the Senator said.

“The extra bonus can be sourced from savings and it doesn't matter how much is granted, as it depends on how much savings are there, for as long as some amount is given,” he furthered.

Victims of calamities such as the recent typhoon were national government employees who should not spend another bleak holiday season. (Jason de Asis)