VP BINAY: GOVERNMENT SHOULD INCREASE PAY OF GOV’T EMPLOYEES; PROVIDE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay told government employees at the Philippine Government Employees Association National Convention December 7 that government must eventually work towards increasing the remuneration of government employees as well as providing more opportunities for their education.

“If we pay a just wage for a man’s talents, then the threat of corruption is diminished
,” the Vice President said.

He expressed hope that soon the public sector’s pay will match what the private sector normally offers for the skill sets possessed by civil servants.

Binay stressed the need to upgrade the capabilities of government workers through education in order to adjust more properly to the needs of the country, citing that prosperous Asian nations provide opportunities for their public employees to upgrade their technical skills through scholarship grants.

He noted that there are a number of state and city universities that civil servants can go to, and that merely await government initiative to “create the time for our bureaucrats to study.”

According to Binay, availing of courses such as public administration, agriculture, urban planning and environmental studies will also ensure that the courses offered by schools are constantly calibrated to fit the needs of graduates and the various professions.

“Working together, both the school and the bureaucracy improve at an accelerated pace which expands the intellectual base we need to address the complex problems of the future,” said Binay.

He acknowledged that solving the various problems of government takes time, but assured the employees that
the current administration believes that “a culture of good governance is made possible by a highly professional bureacracy.”

He urged public servants to re-examine their role in delivering public service especially to the poor and underprivileged, especially if the impact of government service is not felt.

He also enjoined them to strive for personal excellence and generosity in giving service to those who need the help of government most; while also addressing such issues as climate change and globalization alongside batling poverty.

“Let the change we seek emanate from us. Let government start the revolution.,” the Vice President said.