RELEASE of 2020 SRI for DepEd Employees

Dear DepEd Teaching and Non-Teaching personnel,

On this LAST and LONGEST working day of Fiscal Year 2020, let me give you some updates on the preparation for and processing of the 2020 Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for eligible permanent positions and the 2020 Gratuity Pay (GP) for the COS and JOs.

1. Administrative Order (AO) 37 on SRI and AO 38 on GP were officially released on December 21 and 28, respectively. The DBM Budget Circular on SRI was released on December 22. The FB page of the DepEd-Undersecretary for Finance issued these AOs and DBM-BC for dissemination of the information and for the concerned individuals to comprehend the provisions of the said AOs.

2. Even if we want to immediately process and release the SRI and GP, there are procedures that DepEd has to comply with before we can grant the said benefits/incentives. Remember that DepEd is the biggest employer in the entire government/bureaucracy and we are almost one (1) MILLION personnel in total now, extensively distributed to various schools, division and regional offices, and the Central Office.

3. SRI and GP are both sourced from the “AVAILABLE savings or balance of funds” of the entire agency. Hence, for DepEd’s SRI of P10k each, we need a total savings of P10Billion pesos to generate. Your finance offices (from various levels of governance such as school, division, regional and central offices) are working very hard to consolidate and identify MORE funding sources to reach this P10B fund balance.

4. Coordination with DBM has been ongoing since the release of the SRI admin order and we thank the DBM for its support, coordination and cooperation to find ways for SRI to become a reality for all DepEd employees. Several letters to extend special accommodation to DepEd have been officially sent to DBM on this (please see the copies of the letters attached to this post).

5. What we can do now in DepEd is to use our remaining balances in the Personnel Services (PS) and also request for realignment or modification of available MOOE funds for SRI. Once DBM approves our requests, DepEd can obligate the PS fundings and pay for the uniform SRI pay next year, 2021. If the MOOE 2020 funds is extended for use until 2021, we can also use those funds for additional SRI until we reach the allowable 10k/employee.

6. We cannot compare DepEd to smaller agencies which can process and find funds for its smaller number of personnel. As DepEd family, we need to comply with the provisions of the AO and collectively accept the intention that we need to UNIFORMLY give to all eligible personnel.

7. We need your patience and understanding while we do the appropriate steps and processes. As DepEd family, let us still be grateful for the unexpected benefits we receive and let us please apply our teachings to our learners which are values on professionalism, responsible social media practice, teamwork and gratitude/compassion for others.

Salamat at huwag kayong mag-alala dahil ginagawa ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon, sa pamumuno ng ating kalihim Liling Magtolis-Briones, na maibigay ang nararapat para sa ating mag kawani. Ang hiling namin ay intindihin muna ang proseso at ang pagsisikap ng mga kasama nyo din sa DepEd na nagtatrabaho para mangyari ang pagbibigay ng inyong benepisyo sa pinakamadaling panahon.

Maligayang PASKO at sana ay mas ligtas at manigo ang ating bagong taon ng 2021.

-Anne Sevilla

Source: Usec. Annalyn Sevilla FB Page