House panel OKs additional pay for night shift gov’t workers

MANILA – A measure granting night shift differential pay to government employees, including those in government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCC), has hurdled committee level at the House of Representatives this week.

The House Committee on Appropriations approved House Bill 5727, which provides for a differential pay not exceeding 20 percent of the hourly basic rate, whether the nature of employment is permanent, contractual, temporary, or casual.

Deputy Speaker Strike Revilla, author of the bill, said not all government employees enjoy such wage-related benefit.

Revilla said most of the government employees who work beyond the usual hours are only paid overtime pay.

“Public sector employees also deserve the benefit we give to their private counterparts. This bill seeks to institutionalize the Night Differential Pay for government employees, including government-owned or -controlled corporations,” he said.

The bill states that this benefit does not cover employees whose schedule of work hours fall between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., as well as those whose services are required or are on call 24 hours a day, such as uniformed personnel.

As for funding, the amount needed by national government agencies would be charged against existing appropriations, against the respective funds for local government units, and from corporate funds for GOCCs.