President Rodrigo Duterte is donating his one month salary to help in the government efforts to halt the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Malacanang said on Sunday.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said aside from the President, many members of his Cabinet pledged to cut 75 percent of their monthly salaries from April to December this year while others volunteered a salary deduction for the whole duration of the state of public health emergency.

Panelo said other officials with the rank of secretaries are similarly giving portions of their respective salaries to boost the collective fight against the dreadful disease.

“The President is likewise donating his one month salary for the cause,” he said.

The President’s gross monthly salary amounts to around P400,000 while Cabinet officials, who are under Salary Grade 31, have gross salary of about P260,000 a month.

Panelo added the assistant secretaries of the Offices of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesperson have also committed to donate at least 10 percent of their income directly to the Office of Civil Defense this month.

He said they will also continue providing financial and relief assistance from their salaries to groups who are at the frontline of the health crisis in the succeeding months.

Panelo, who is also the chief presidential legal counsel, said the Office of the President is pleased to know that the legislative and judiciary branches of the government have their own program to help in the battle against COVID-19.

He said the Palace also acknowledges the support being given by various heads of offices and agencies in their personal capacities to thwart the COVID-19 pandemic. Ella Dionisio/DMS