The president has already been proposed to increase the tithe to $250

Deputy Tito Rodriguez He assured this week that he had already spoken with President Laurentino Cortiz about the possibility of increasing the thirteenth month for officials.

Rodríguez is promoting a bill aimed at increasing the earnings of public servants.

“I made a comment to the President of the Republic and He told me that they are making inquiries at the Ministry of Economy and Finance to see if that increase can be achieved so that officials have some support,” Rodríguez told TVN Noticias.

According to representatives, the increase would be about $80 for all officials.

Currently, they charge a fixed amount as a tithe public officials is $170 per game. With customization it would be $250.

“We think this would be a way to distribute the wealth of our country, giving Panamanians a little more money,” Rodríguez said.

Bill 817 (previous bill 246), which amends Law 133 from 2013 on the thirteenth month for public servants, is in the first debate under the legislative continuation of the National Assembly.

For the public sector, base salary for tithe calculation is $550, which is divided into equal parts. In the private sector, on the other hand, the amount depends on the salary earned by the worker.

The thirteenth month is an additional annual salary that is divided into three equal items, which was approved by government decree no. 221 of November 18, 1971.

The first package for 2023 was given to civil servants in February, while the employees are in the private sector the first payment will be received on April 15.