Law Summary
Conditions for Granting Subsistence Allowance
- Subsistence allowance is only given if there is a specific appropriation for it.
- Meals should be taken on the mess for marine personnel when aboard vessels.
- Lightkeepers and similar employees receive food supplies.
- Officials/employees living within institutional premises may be allowed full subsistence to ensure availability at all times.
- Laborers in unsettled districts receive rations or cash equivalent.
- Personnel entitled to subsistence allowance at hospitals/leper institutions without mess halls may request allowance, subject to department head approval.
Previous Subsistence Allowance Rates and Inadequacy
- Prior subsistence allowance rates were deemed inadequate due to rising commodity prices.
- Executive Order No. 257 had increased allowance from ₱12.00 to ₱18.00 per day for Armed Forces and related personnel.
Legal Basis for Adjusting Subsistence Allowance
- Section 5 of Presidential Decree No. 1597 requires allowances to be approved by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of Budget.
New Subsistence Allowance Rate
- The daily subsistence allowance for enumerated officials and employees is increased to ₱18.00 per day.
- This translates to ₱6.00 per meal.
Effective Date and Funding Conditions
- The order takes effect not earlier than the calendar year 1989.
- Implementation depends on the availability of funds or savings from the 1989 appropriations of the concerned agencies.
Implementation Guidelines
- The Department of Budget and Management is tasked with issuing the necessary guidelines to implement this order.
Authority and Promulgation
- Issued by the President of the Philippines under the legal powers vested by law.
- Signed and promulgated in Manila on February 2, 1989, with the Executive Secretary.
These provisions ensure that the subsistence allowance granted to certain government officials and employees aligns with the economic realities affecting food costs and is standardized at ₱18.00 per day, facilitating rationalization and uniform application across government agencies.