MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved on Friday a higher year-end gratuity pay for Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order (JO) workers in the government, raising the amount to as much as P7,000.

The adjustment, outlined in  a four-page Administrative Order No. 28, was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin and will take effect no earlier than December 15.

Under the directive, COS and JO workers who have rendered at least four months of satisfactory service as of December 15 are entitled to gratuity pay ranging from P5,000 to P7,000. Workers with shorter tenures may still receive the gratuity pay on a pro-rata basis:

• Three to four months of service: up to P6,000
• Two to three months: up to P5,000
• Less than two months: up to P4,000

“Granting a year-end gratuity pay to COS and JO workers is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work and valuable participation in the implementation of various PAPs of the government, and their pivotal role in the delivery of government services amidst the present socio-economic challenges,” said Marcos.

Eligible workers must have active contracts as of December 15 to qualify for the payout.

The move follows President Marcos’ 2021 approval of a gratuity pay hike for COS and JO workers, which raised the benefit from P3,000 to P5,000.

The order will take effect immediately after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.