Hacienda Minister Vicente Bengoa has announced that the government will begin paying the so-called 13th wage during the first 10 days of December. He said that RD$8 billion would be distributed to public administration employees in addition to the monthly wage. Last year, the amount totaled RD$6 billion. Bengoa said that municipal and state university UASD public employees’ 13th wage would be funded by a RD$750 million loan from the governmental Banco de Reservas, as reported in Listin Diario. He stressed that only Hacienda can authorize taking on debt.