DMB Releases Guidelines for P20,000 Government Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for 2025

DMB releases Guidelines for P20,000 government Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for 2025

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has officially released Budget Circular No. 2025-3, outlining the guidelines for the release of the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) for fiscal year 2025.

Following the directive of Administrative Order No. 40, qualified government employees are set to receive a one-time incentive at a uniform rate not exceeding P20,000. The grant serves to recognize the collective contributions of government personnel toward the country’s development goals and the President’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda.

Who is Eligible?

The circular covers a broad range of government personnel, provided they are still in service as of November 30, 2025. Eligible groups include:

* Civilian Personnel: Those in National Government Agencies (NGAs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions.
* Uniformed Personnel: Members of the AFP, PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Philippine Coast Guard, and NAMRIA.
* Legislative and Judicial Branches: Employees of the Senate, House of Representatives, and the Judiciary.
* Local Government Units (LGUs): Including those in the barangays.
* Local Water Districts (LWDs).

Exclusions: The incentive does NOT apply to consultants, experts, laborers engaged through job contracts (pakyaw), student-workers, or individuals engaged through job orders (JO) and contracts of service (COS).

Payment Timeline

The DBM has set a strict window for the disbursement of funds:
* Earliest Release: December 15, 2025.
* Deadline for Payment: December 31, 2025.

For LGUs, the deadline is more flexible, encouraging payment by the end of the year but subject to their local budgeting capabilities and the enactment of supplemental budgets by their respective sanggunians.

Funding Sources

The amount will be charged against the available FY 2025 appropriations.
* For NGAs: Charged against Personnel Services (PS) allotments. In case of deficiency, it may be charged against Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) allotments.
* For GOCCs and LWDs: Funded through their respective corporate operating budgets.
* For LGUs: Funded by local government funds, subject to the Personal Services (PS) limitation under the Local Government Code.

> Note: If an agency's identified funding source is insufficient to cover the full P20,000, a lower but uniform amount shall be paid to all qualified employees within that agency.

Accountability
Acting Budget Secretary Rolando U. Toledo signed the circular, emphasizing that agency heads will be held liable for any payments made not in accordance with the guidelines. Agencies are also required to submit a report on the grant of the SRI to the DBM no later than January 31, 2026.

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