Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno has approved the release of the Special Allowance for the Judiciary (SAJ), the Additional Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) under the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) for February 2008, and the Productivity Incentive Benefit (PIB), as additional benefits to qualified court officials and personnel.

Chief Justice Puno authorized the release of the SAJ to qualified Court personnel in the amount of PhP4,000 from the current surplus in the funds generated pursuant to RA 9227 for the period from January to February 2008, per Memorandum Order No. 14-2008, signed on March 13, 2008.  Employees who have rendered service for at least six months as of February 29, 2008 are entitled to the full amount of the allowance, while court personnel who have rendered less than six months of service as of the cut-off date are entitled to the pro-rated amounts of the SAJ.

Likewise, Chief Justice Puno granted the release of the COLA under the JDF to qualified Court personnel, pursuant to Memorandum Order No. 11-2008, signed on March 5, 2008, in amounts ranging from PhP2,200 to PhP2,400, depending on the employee’s salary grade.  Qualified employees who have rendered at least six months in service as of February 1, 2008, and who are still in service as of February 29, 2008, shall be entitled to the full amount of the benefit.  Proportionate rates of the benefit shall be given to those employees who have rendered less than six months in service as of the cut-off date.

Additionally, Chief Justice Puno authorized the payment of the PIB to qualified Court personnel who had obtained at least a satisfactory performance rating for the two semesters immediately preceding the year, in the amount of PhP2,000.  The PIB was granted pursuant to Presidential Administrative Order No. 161, which prescribes a standard incentive pay system based on productivity and performance, for all officials and employees of the national and local government, signed on December 6, 1994 by then President Fidel V. Ramos.

The Chief Justice granted the release of the SAJ and JDF by virtue of and pursuant to his authority under PD 1949.  The Special Allowance comes from the surplus in the collections for the SAJ, a part of which can be released to personnel pursuant to the third paragraph of sec. 3 of RA 9227 and in accordance with AC 52-2007 dated June 25, 2007.  The Additional Cost of Living Allowance comes from the eighty per centum (80%) allotted for the purpose from the income of the JDF.