If you’re a government employee in the Philippines or aspiring to be one, understanding the Salary Grade (SG) system is crucial.
The SG system, defined by the Salary Standardization Law of 2019, sets the structure for the monthly wages of government workers. Let’s break down what this means for you in 2023.
Content
Salary Grades: The Basics
- Range of Grades: In 2023, the salary grades range from SG 1, the lowest, to SG 33, the highest.
- Incremental Increases: The increases in government salary under this law averaged around 23.24% by 2023 after all the increases had been applied.
Who Gets What?
1. Mid-Level Employees (SG 11 to 13): The mid-level government employees, who fall under salary grades 11 to 13, received the highest raise ranging from 24.1% in 2020 to 30.7% in 2023. For instance, a Teacher I or Nurse I at salary grade 11 saw an increase from PHP 20,754 in 2019 to PHP 27,000 in 2023.
2. Lower Salary Grades (SG 1 to 10): Workers within the lowest salary grades (1 to 10) enjoyed an increase from 17.5% in 2020 to 20.5% in 2023. For example, a Utility Worker I at salary grade 1 experienced a raise from PHP 11,068 in 2019 to PHP 13,000 in 2023.
3. Higher Salary Grades (SG 25 to 33): Those in the highest grades had the smallest raise, around 8%. But of course, they have the highest salaries in the government.
The Role of Salary Steps
Apart from the grades, each grade is further broken down into steps. These steps represent small pay increases within the same grade, typically occurring every three years based on performance.
The total salary received by a government employee also depends on the income classification of their location. Special and 1st class cities, being centers of commerce, provide 100% of the salary grade, while more remote areas might receive a lower percentage.
Salary Grade Table
The table below shows the latest salary grade of government employees in the Philippines.
| Salary Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13,000 | 13,109 | 13,219 | 13,329 | 13,44 1 | 13,553 | 13,666 | 13,780 |
| 2 | 13,819 | 13925 | 14,032 | 14.140 | 14,284 | 14,357 | 14 , 468 | 14,578 |
| 3 | 14 ,678 | 14, 792 | 14, 905 | 15,020 | 15, 136 | 15,251 | 15,369 | 15,486 |
| 4 | 15,586 | 15.706 | 15,827 | 15,948 | 16,071 | 16,193 | 16,318 | 16,443 |
| 5 | 16,543 | 16,671 | 16,799 | 16,928 | 17,057 | 17,189 | 17,321 | 17,453 |
| 6 | 17,553 | 17,688 | 17,824 | 17,962 | 18, 100 | 18,238 | 18,379 | 18,520 |
| 7 | 18,620 | 18,763 | 18,907 | 19,053 | 19,198 | 19,346 | 19, 494 | 19,644 |
| 8 | 19, 744 | 19,923 | 20,104 | 20,285 | 20,468 | 20,653 | 20,840 | 21,029 |
| 9 | 2 1.129 | 21,304 | 21,483 | 2 1, 663 | 21,844 | 22,026 | 22 ,210 | 22,396 |
| 10 | 23,176 | 23,370 | 23,565 | 23, 762 | 23,961 | 24,161 | 24 ,363 | 24,567 |
| 11 | 27 ,000 | 27 ,284 | 27,573 | 27,865 | 28,161 | 28,462 | 28, 766 | 29,075 |
| 12 | 29 , 165 | 29,449 | 29,737 | 30,028 | 30,323 | 30,622 | 30,924 | 31,230 |
| 13 | 31,320 | 31,633 | 31,949 | 32, 269 | 32,594 | 32,922 | 33,254 | 33,591 |
| 14 | 33,843 | 34,187 | 34,535 | 34,888 | 35,244 | 35,605 | 35,971 | 36,34 1 |
| 15 | 36,619 | 36,997 | 37,380 | 37, 768 | 38,160 | 38,557 | 38,959 | 39,367 |
| 16 | 39,672 | 40,088 | 40,509 | 40,935 | 4 1,367 | 4 1,804 | 42 ,247 | 42,694 |
| 17 | 43,030 | 43,488 | 43,951 | 44, 420 | 44,895 | 45,376 | 45,862 | 46,355 |
| 18 | 46 , 725 | 47 ,228 | 47.738 | 48,253 | 48, 776 | 49,305 | 49 ,840 | 50,382 |
| 19 | 51,357 | 52,096 | 52,847 | 53, 610 | 54,386 | 55, 174 | 55,976 | 56,790 |
| 20 | 57,347 | 58,181 | 59,030 | 59,892 | 60,769 | 61,660 | 62, 565 | 63,485 |
| 21 | 63,997 | 64,940 | 65,899 | 66,873 | 67,864 | 68,870 | 69,893 | 70,933 |
| 22 | 71,511 | 72,577 | 73,661 | 74, 762 | 75,881 | 77,0 19 | 78, 157 | 79,349 |
| 23 | 80,003 | 81,207 | 82,432 | 83,683 | 85,049 | 86,437 | 87,847 | 89,281 |
| 24 | 90 ,078 | 91,548 | 93,043 | 94, 562 | 96,105 | 97,674 | 99,268 | 100,888 |
| 25 | 102,690 | 104,366 | 106,069 | 107,800 | 109,560 | 111,348 | 113, 166 | 115,012 |
| 26 | 116,040 | 117,933 | 119,858 | 12 1,814 | 123,803 | 125,823 | 127 ,876 | 129,164 |
| 27 | 131, 124 | 133,264 | 135,440 | 137, 650 | 139,897 | 142,180 | 144 , 501 | 146,859 |
| 28 | 148,171 | 150,589 | 153,047 | 155, 545 | 158,083 | 160,664 | 163, 286 | 165,951 |
| 29 | 167,432 | 170,166 | 172,943 | 175, 766 | 178,634 | 181,550 | 184, 513 | 187,525 |
| 30 | 189,199 | 192,286 | 195,425 | 198,615 | 20 1,856 | 205,151 | 208, 499 | 2 11,902 |
| 31 | 278,434 | 283,872 | 289,4 16 | 295,069 | 300,833 | 306,708 | 312 ,699 | 318,806 |
| 32 | 331,954 | 338,649 | 345,478 | 352, 445 | 359,553 | 366,804 | 374 ,202 | 381,748 |
| 33 | 4 19,14 4 | 431,718 |
Understanding your salary grade and the factors that affect it is key to planning your career in the Philippine government. Whether you’re just starting or looking for a promotion, knowing how your pay is structured can help you set realistic expectations and goals.
FAQ: Salary Grades in the Philippines
1. What is a Salary Grade (SG) in the Philippines?
A Salary Grade refers to a level in the pay scale for government employees. Each grade determines the basic salary a government employee receives.
2. How many Salary Grades are there?
There are 33 Salary Grades, with SG 1 being the lowest and SG 33 the highest.
3. Who determines these Salary Grades?
The Salary Grades are determined by the Philippine government, particularly under the Salary Standardization Law of 2019.
4. Did the salaries increase in recent years?
Yes, there have been increases, averaging around 23.24% by 2023 since the law was implemented.
5. Do all government employees receive the same salary within a Salary Grade?
Not exactly. Each grade has steps, and an employee’s step increases typically every three years based on performance, leading to slightly higher pay within the same grade.
6. Does location affect the Salary Grade?
Yes, employees in Special and 1st class cities receive 100% of the salary grade, while those in more remote areas receive a lower percentage.
7. Are there exceptions to these Salary Grades?
Yes, some groups like military and uniformed personnel, and certain government-owned and controlled corporations, have different compensation systems.
