President and ministers to donate salary raise to social institutions

SANTIAGO.- President Michelle Bachelet announced this morning that she and her ministers will donate their 10% salary increases to charities since the law does not allow them to voluntarily give up the raise, which has been approved by Congress for all public employees.

The President assured that each month on the ministers' webpage, they will announce which institution will receive the money, which amounts to about 600 thousand pesos.

"This way the public funds will be given to causes that benefit the public", stated the President.

While standing before a group of Quinta Normal residents that received their housing subsidies today, the Chief of State took it upon herself to stress that the donation will be made "as long as the law permits it" after studies that she requested last Friday from a group of constitutional lawyers indicated that the authorities could not give up a salary adjustment already approved by Parliament.