Marcos Approves 2024 Performance-Based Bonus for Government Workers

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the granting of the 2024 Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) to eligible government agencies and employees, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced. The DBM on Tuesday published a copy of Resolution No. 2026-1, dated July 2, formally announcing the approval of the Office of the President of the PBB for Fiscal Year 2024. The approval followed the review by the technical working group (TWG), created under Executive Order (EO) No. 61, issued in 2024, which mandates the establishment of a streamlined and simplified government performance management and incentives system. EO No. 61 harmonizes the Results-Based Performance Management System and the Performance-Based Incentive System with ease-of-doing-business initiatives. The TWG also issued on July 3 Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2026-1 outlining the guidelines for the grant of the 2024 PBB. The guidelines for the 2024 PBB came three years after the MC for the grant of the 2023 PBB was issued in August 2023 by the now-under review Inter-Agency Task Force on the Harmonization of National Government Performance Monitoring, Information and Reporting Systems. The PBB is a “top-up bonus” given to employees based on their performance and contributions to the accomplishment of their department’s overall targets and commitments. This would be on top of the Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) distributed to employees across the board, as well as other incentives, such as midyear and yearend bonuses and P5,000 annual cash gift. Under the MC, an agency’s eligibility for the 2024 PBB will depend on its overall score in four accountability dimensions: performance results, process results, financial results, and citizen or client satisfaction results. To qualify, an agency must obtain an overall score of at least 70 points under the 100-point scoring system provided in the MC. However, if an agency receives a rating lower than 4 in any of the eligibility criteria based on the assessment and scoring system, the units and individuals, including the head of the unit, found to be most responsible for the deficiency will be “isolated and excluded from the grant of the FY 2024 PBB,” according to the MC. Government workers in departments, bureaus, offices, and other agencies of the national government, including other executive offices, state universities and colleges, government-owned or -controlled corporations, local water districts, and local government units are eligible to receive PBB. Employees of the Congress, judiciary, constitutional commissions, Commission on Human Rights, and Office of the Ombudsman can also receive PBB.