Granting Emergency Monthly Incentive Allowance to Lawyers of Agrarian Legal Assistance

June 10, 1978

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1426

GRANTING EMERGENCY MONTHLY INCENTIVE ALLOWANCE TO LAWYERS IN THE BUREAU OF AGRARIAN LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND IN THE REGIONAL AND FIELD OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM AND PROVIDING APPROPRIATE FUNDS THEREFOR

WHEREAS, it is imperative that the agrarian reform program of the government be implemented with maximum efficiency and speed; casia

WHEREAS, in the implementation of the program there are many legal problems that have arisen requiring the continuous and dedicated service of the lawyers;

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Agrarian Legal Assistant (BALA) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is charged with the functions, among others, of giving legal assistance and services to the beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program;

WHEREAS, it has been ascertained that several lawyers had left the BALA and other regional offices of the DAR and still others are intending to leave due to the low salary being provided for lawyer positions and the reason why several lawyer positions remain unfilled while other agencies, including the private sector, continue to attract applicants to their offices because they offer higher salaries and many fringe benefits; and

WHEREAS, if the present situation is allowed to continue the speedy termination of thousands of agrarian cases pending before DAR and the various courts will be adversely affected and this will be remedied by giving the remaining lawyers in the BALA and in the DAR regional and field offices monthly incentive allowances to augment their low salaries and at the same time attract new lawyer applicants;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree: cd i

SECTION 1. All lawyers in the Bureau of Agrarian Legal Assistance and in the regional and field offices of the Department of Agrarian Reform holding regular positions shall receive monthly incentive allowance in the manner herein indicated, as follows:

Position		Monthly Incentive Allowance
		1st Step	2nd Step	3rd Step
Group A		P200	P100	P100
	Trial Attorney II
	Legal Officer III
	Research Attorney I
	Research Attorney II
Group B		250	150	150
	Legal Officer IV
	Senior Research Attorney
Group C		300	175	175
	Trial Attorney III
	Senior Legal Officer
Group D		350	200	200
	Chief Legal Officer
	Trial Attorney IV
	Chief Research Attorney
Group E
	Assistant Director	1,000 —
	Director	1,500 —

SECTION 2. Regular and support personnel of the BALA who are assigned in the Central office (Bureau Proper) shall be paid monthly emergency incentive allowance at the rate of fifty percent (50%) of the corresponding monthly rate provided for in Group A hereof. However, in cases of other DAR lawyers who are performing supportive legal services shall be given fifty percent (50%) of the incentive allowances corresponding to the above groupings where his CCPC salary range or CESO rank belong.

SECTION 3. BALA lawyers whose positions are embraced in the Career Executive Service (CES) shall continue to enjoy whatever allowances they are entitled to receive under the CES simultaneously with the allowances herein provided.

SECTION 4. The Secretary of Agrarian Reform shall, through the recommendation of the BALA Director, promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of this Decree. cd i

SECTION 5. In order to carry out the provisions of this Decree the sum of THREE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE AND TWO HUNDRED PESOS (P3,721,200.00), is hereby appropriated from the National Treasury. However, for the current calendar year, the amount necessary for the payment of the first step of the incentive allowance plan hereof shall be taken from the salary savings of the Department of Agrarian Reform. Thereafter, the sum needed to fully implement the herein incentive allowance plan shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 6. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or part thereof inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. This incentive allowance plan provided herein shall take effect on January 1, 1978.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 10th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Eight. cd i

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 74 No. 42 Page 8267 on October 16, 1978.