The salary system for government employees in the Philippines is organized into 33 grades (Salary Grade 2025) under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL). This structure ensures fair compensation based on job complexity and responsibilities. The latest version, SSL 6, will be gradually implemented from 2025 to 2027, improving salary scales to keep up with economic conditions and inflation.
Overview of Salary Grade 2025 in the Philippines
The Key Highlights-
- The salary grade system has 33 levels, with pay determined by job responsibilities.
- Each grade typically has 8 steps, except for Salary Grade 33, which has only two.
- The new salary increases under SSL 6 will take place in four phases from 2025 to 2027.
- The government has allocated PHP 70 billion to fund these adjustments, benefiting workers such as teachers and lawyers.
- Salary Grade 2025 aim to ensure competitive wages and retain skilled professionals in the government sector.
Understanding Salary Grade 2025
Government jobs in the Philippines follow a structured salary grade system, ensuring equitable pay across various professions.
How the Salary System Works:
- Salaries increase as the grade level rises, reflecting higher responsibilities.
- Within each grade, employees progress through steps, earning incremental pay raises.
- The lowest salary grade (SG-1) is assigned to entry-level positions, while SG-33 is reserved for the President.
- Salary Grade 2025 adjustments will help mitigate inflation and improve living standards for government workers.
Classification of Government Employees Based on Salary Grade
Senior Government Officials
These positions have the highest salaries and include top officials such as:
- President (SG-33) – The highest-paid government official.
- Vice President, Senate President, Chief Justice, and Speaker of the House (SG-32).
- Other senior roles, such as senators and executive secretaries, hold grades ranging from SG-30 to SG-32.
Professional Supervisory Roles
These positions require extensive expertise and involve managing teams. Their salary grades range from SG-9 to SG-33. Examples include:
- School principals
- Police chiefs
- Department directors
Professional Non-Supervisory Roles
Professionals in this category require a college degree but do not oversee teams. Their salary grades range from SG-8 to SG-30. Common roles include:
- Chemists
- Statisticians
- Treasurers
Sub-Professional Supervisory Positions
Workers in this category manage others while performing technical or manual work. Their salary grades range from SG-8 to SG-18. Examples include:
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Foremen
Sub-Professional Non-Supervisory Roles
These positions do not require college degrees and typically involve clerical or manual labor. Their salary grades range from SG-1 to SG-10. Common examples are:
- Office aides
- Dental assistants
- Facility maintenance staff
Previous Salary Adjustments Under SSL 5
Before SSL 6, the government implemented SSL 5, which introduced salary increases from 2020 to 2023. The adjustments were as follows:
- 2020: First phase of SSL 5
- 2021: Second phase
- 2022: Third phase
- 2023: Fourth phase
Upcoming Salary Adjustments (2025-2027)
The new salary adjustments under SSL 6 will be rolled out in four stages:
- First Increase – January 1, 2024 (retroactive)
- Second Increase – January 1, 2025
- Third Increase – January 1, 2026
- Fourth Increase – January 1, 2027
Additional Benefits for Government Employees
Starting in 2025, all eligible government workers will receive an annual medical allowance of PHP 7,000 for health benefits. The funding for salary increases will be sourced from the 2024 General Appropriations Act and future national budgets.
| Salary Grade (SG) | Minimum Salary (PHP) – 2025 | Minimum Salary (PHP) – 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| SG-1 | 14,061 | 14,925 |
| SG-10 | 25,586 | 26,835 |
| SG-20 | 62,967 | 68,409 |
| SG-30 | 203,200 | 222,797 |
| SG-33 | 438,844 | 451,713 |
Salary Adjustments for Local Government Employees in 2025
The salary increase under the new Salary Grade 2025 will be implemented differently across local government units (LGUs), depending on their financial capacity. While wealthier provinces and cities can fully adopt the new rates, smaller municipalities with limited budgets may apply only a portion of the increase.
For instance, highly urbanized cities and economically strong first-class provinces will provide 100% of the updated salary rates to their employees. Meanwhile, rural sixth-class municipalities with lower revenue may implement only 65% of the scheduled salary increase to balance financial sustainability with fair compensation.
Percentage of Salary Schedule by LGU Category
| LGU Category | Percentage of Salary Implementation for Provinces/Cities | Percentage of Salary Implementation for Municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| Highly Urbanized Cities | 100% | N/A |
| 1st Class | 100% | 90% |
| 2nd Class | 95% | 85% |
| 3rd Class | 90% | 80% |
| 4th Class | 85% | 75% |
| 5th Class | 80% | 70% |
| 6th Class | 75% | 65% |
This system ensures that all government employees receive fair salary adjustments while allowing local governments to manage financial constraints effectively. LGUs with stronger economies can fully implement the increases, while those with lower income levels can adjust accordingly to sustain fiscal stability.
Salary Grade 2024 Table – First Tranche
(Effective January 1, 2024 – Retroactive Increase)
| Salary Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13,530 | 13,633 | 13,748 | 13,862 | 13,979 | 14,095 | 14,213 | 14,331 |
| 2 | 14,372 | 14,482 | 14,593 | 14,706 | 14,818 | 14,931 | 15,047 | 15,163 |
| 3 | 15,265 | 15,384 | 15,501 | 15,621 | 15,741 | 15,861 | 15,984 | 16,107 |
| 4 | 16,209 | 16,334 | 16,460 | 16,586 | 16,714 | 16,841 | 16,971 | 17,101 |
| 5 | 17,205 | 17,338 | 17,471 | 17,605 | 17,739 | 17,877 | 18,014 | 18,151 |
| 10 | 24,381 | 24,585 | 24,790 | 24,998 | 25,207 | 25,417 | 25,630 | 25,844 |
| 15 | 38,413 | 38,810 | 39,212 | 39,619 | 40,030 | 40,446 | 40,868 | 41,292 |
| 20 | 60,157 | 61,032 | 61,922 | 62,827 | 63,747 | 64,669 | 65,599 | 66,530 |
| 25 | 107,208 | 108,958 | 110,736 | 112,543 | 114,381 | 116,247 | 118,145 | 120,073 |
| 30 | 196,199 | 199,401 | 202,558 | 205,765 | 209,022 | 212,434 | 215,796 | 219,253 |
| 33 | 428,994 | 441,863 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Salary Grade 2025 Table – Second Tranche
(Effective January 1, 2025)
| Salary Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14,061 | 14,164 | 14,278 | 14,393 | 14,509 | 14,626 | 14,743 | 14,860 |
| 2 | 14,925 | 15,035 | 15,146 | 15,258 | 15,371 | 15,484 | 15,599 | 15,713 |
| 3 | 15,852 | 15,971 | 16,088 | 16,208 | 16,329 | 16,448 | 16,571 | 16,693 |
| 4 | 16,833 | 16,958 | 17,084 | 17,209 | 17,337 | 17,464 | 17,594 | 17,724 |
| 5 | 17,866 | 18,000 | 18,133 | 18,267 | 18,401 | 18,538 | 18,676 | 18,814 |
| 10 | 25,586 | 25,790 | 25,996 | 26,203 | 26,412 | 26,623 | 26,835 | 27,047 |
| 15 | 40,208 | 40,604 | 41,006 | 41,413 | 41,824 | 42,241 | 42,662 | 43,084 |
| 20 | 62,967 | 63,842 | 64,732 | 65,637 | 66,557 | 67,479 | 68,409 | 69,340 |
| 25 | 111,727 | 113,476 | 115,254 | 117,062 | 118,899 | 120,766 | 122,664 | 124,591 |
| 30 | 203,200 | 206,401 | 209,558 | 212,766 | 216,022 | 219,434 | 222,797 | 226,256 |
| 33 | 438,844 | 451,713 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Salary Grade 2025 Table – Third Tranche
(Effective January 1, 2026)
| Salary Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14,634 | 14,730 | 14,849 | 14,968 | 15,089 | 15,211 | 15,333 | 15,456 |
| 2 | 15,522 | 15,636 | 15,752 | 15,869 | 15,986 | 16,103 | 16,223 | 16,342 |
| 3 | 16,486 | 16,610 | 16,732 | 16,856 | 16,982 | 17,106 | 17,234 | 17,360 |
| 4 | 17,506 | 17,636 | 17,767 | 17,898 | 18,031 | 18,163 | 18,298 | 18,433 |
| 5 | 18,581 | 18,720 | 18,858 | 18,998 | 19,137 | 19,280 | 19,423 | 19,565 |
| 10 | 26,917 | 27,131 | 27,347 | 27,565 | 27,786 | 28,007 | 28,230 | 28,456 |
| 15 | 42,178 | 42,594 | 43,015 | 43,442 | 43,874 | 44,310 | 44,753 | 45,202 |
| 20 | 66,052 | 66,970 | 67,904 | 68,853 | 69,818 | 70,772 | 71,727 | 72,671 |
| 25 | 116,643 | 118,469 | 120,326 | 122,212 | 124,131 | 126,079 | 128,061 | 130,073 |
| 30 | 210,718 | 214,038 | 217,207 | 220,425 | 223,691 | 227,224 | 230,595 | 234,240 |
| 33 | 449,157 | 462,329 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Salary Grade 2025 Table – Fourth Tranche
(Effective January 1, 2027)
| Salary Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15,208 | 15,304 | 15,423 | 15,542 | 15,663 | 15,784 | 15,906 | 16,030 |
| 2 | 16,118 | 16,233 | 16,349 | 16,466 | 16,582 | 16,700 | 16,820 | 16,939 |
| 3 | 17,120 | 17,244 | 17,366 | 17,490 | 17,616 | 17,740 | 17,868 | 17,994 |
| 4 | 18,180 | 18,309 | 18,440 | 18,571 | 18,704 | 18,836 | 18,971 | 19,106 |
| 5 | 19,296 | 19,434 | 19,573 | 19,712 | 19,852 | 19,994 | 20,137 | 20,280 |
| 10 | 28,247 | 28,462 | 28,678 | 28,896 | 29,116 | 29,337 | 29,561 | 29,787 |
| 15 | 44,148 | 44,504 | 44,985 | 45,412 | 45,844 | 46,281 | 46,723 | 47,172 |
| 20 | 69,138 | 70,056 | 70,990 | 71,938 | 72,903 | 73,857 | 74,813 | 75,756 |
| 25 | 121,559 | 123,385 | 125,242 | 127,128 | 129,047 | 130,995 | 132,977 | 134,983 |
| 30 | 218,237 | 221,556 | 224,726 | 227,943 | 231,209 | 234,743 | 238,113 | 241,593 |
| 33 | 459,469 | 472,641 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
These tables detail the Third and Fourth Tranche salary adjustments under Salary Grade 2025, ensuring government employees in the Philippines receive structured and progressive salary increases through 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who receives Salary Grade 32 in the Philippines?
Salary Grade 32 is assigned to high-ranking officials such as the Vice President, Chief Justice, Speaker of the House, and Senate President.
What is the salary grade of Barangay officials?
Barangay officials have different salary levels depending on their rank:
SG-1: PHP 15,000
SG-2: PHP 25,000
SG-3: PHP 35,000
How do salary steps work within each grade?
Each salary grade has steps that allow employees to earn incremental pay raises over time without being promoted to a higher grade.
What is the tax rate for government employees based on salary grade?
Under the TRAIN Law, income tax rates vary:
Income up to PHP 250,000: Tax-free
PHP 250,001 – 400,000: 15% on excess over PHP 250,000
PHP 400,001 – 800,000: 20% tax
PHP 800,001 – 2 million: 25% tax
PHP 2 million – 8 million: 30% tax
Over PHP 8 million: 35% tax
Who is eligible for the salary increase in 2025?
All full-time regular and contractual government employees are eligible for the salary increases under Salary Grade 2025.
How will the salary increase impact new government job applicants?
With higher salaries under Salary Grade 2025, government jobs will become more attractive to skilled professionals.
The implementation of SSL 6 aims to make government salaries in the Philippines more competitive. With phased salary increases from 2025 to 2027 and additional benefits such as medical allowances, Salary Grade 2025 will ensure that public servants receive fair compensation.
John Stepp is a distinguished financial journalist with a rich background in economics, holding a Bachelor’s degree from IIT Delhi and a Master’s in Financial Analysis from Stanford University, USA.
