DBM Commits to PERA Increase in 2027, but Proposed Hike Limited to ₱500

Government employees may receive a higher Personnel Economic Relief Allowance (PERA) beginning in 2027 following a commitment made by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) during a congressional budget hearing.

ACT Teachers Party-List welcomed the development but raised concerns over the proposed amount, saying the monthly allowance would increase by only ₱500—from the current ₱2,000 to ₱2,500.

According to the party-list group, the proposed PERA adjustment would require approximately ₱11.79 billion from the ₱55.86-billion Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF).

While describing the commitment as an initial victory for government workers, ACT Teachers said the proposed increase remains insufficient amid the continued rise in the prices of food, transportation, utilities, and other basic necessities.

The group compared the proposed ₱500 increase with the additional subsistence allowance granted to military and uniformed personnel. It noted that the government allocated around ₱40 billion to raise their daily subsistence allowance from ₱150 to ₱350.

ACT Teachers urged the administration to prioritize the needs of civilian government employees by realigning funds from confidential, intelligence, and flood-control programs, as well as from the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) modernization budget, to the MPBF.

The party-list maintained that the campaign for a higher PERA must continue until the monthly allowance reaches ₱5,000.

ACT Teachers has been pushing for a substantial PERA increase to provide public school teachers and other government personnel with greater financial relief amid the rising cost of living. The proposed adjustment, however, must still pass through the national budget process before it can be implemented.