Health workers from the Heart Center of the Philippines picket in front of the hospital during their lunch break on June 23, 2023. The workers staged the protest to call for a salary increase and the end to contractualization in Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs). Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA — Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Saturday expressed optimism that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would announce a salary hike for government workers in his third State of the Nation Address next week.

Pangandaman gave the remark when asked about what she expects to hear from the President’s SONA on July 22.

“‘Yung hinihintay ng ating mga kababayan, mga kawani sa gobyerno, ang increase ng ating salary, I hope,” she said.

When asked to confirm if the President has approved a fresh salary adjustment for government personnel, the Budget chief said: “Tingnan natin sa SONA.”

• Marcos urged to tackle POGOs, 2025 polls, poverty, other 'gut issues' in 3rd SONA

Earlier this month, Pangandaman said that she hopes Congress would approve the P70-billion allocation for the salary increase of government workers included in the 2025 national budget.

“We need to wait for Congress’ decision whether to approve the item on the increase in salaries of the employees,” she said in an earlier interview in Baguio City.

Last year, government workers received the fourth and last tranche of the 2019 Salary Standardization Law.

• Former BSP Governor Medalla tops list of highest paid gov't officials

Pangandaman said she also expects the President to highlight the Philippines’ economic achievements in his third annual report to the public.

“The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia… Yung mga pondo na nasa budget natin tuloy-tuloy na ginagamit ng mga ahensya,” she said.

“The [new] GPRA (Government Procurement Reform Act) is one of the biggest transparency and anti-corruption reforms,” she said, referring to one of the two measures Marcos Jr. signed into law 2 days before his SONA.

Aside from the GPRA, the President also signed the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA) on the weekend before his annual speech in the Batasang Pambansa.

RELATED VIDEO