Excessive cell allowance decried by city workers

Employees of Talisay City Hall finally aired before the city council their sentiments over the continuous denial of their long-overdue benefits.

This after finding out that the City Council was set to increase its members' and the Department heads' cellphone card allowance from P2,500 to P5,000.

During yesterday's regular session, employees, who asked that they should be given time to air their grievances, were allowed to speak while the session was on a recess.

Marilyn Uymasuy, assigned at the City Social Welfare and Development, told the eight members of the council and their presiding officer that for the last four years the city has continuously rejected their appeal to implement their step increment benefits. Councilors Shirley Belleza, Bernard Odilao, Richell Bacaltos and Ben Abatayo were absent yesterday.

Uymasuy said the last time they enjoyed the benefits was in 2002, and the law provides that for every three years all regular employees who are not promoted are entitled to this benefit.

"Kadaghan mi ni-request pero pirmi sad gibalibaran kay way pundo. Unya karon mag-increase mo sa inyong mga benefits, naa diay. Inyo sad untang tan-awon ang kahimtang sa mga empleyado," Uymasuy said.

Councilor Arturo Bas told Uymasuy to go see Mayor Socrates Fernandez saying he has the right to order for any implementation of whatever laws.

But councilor Allan Bucao stopped him, saying it is the council that decides on such matters while the mayor implements it.

Leonila Tapio, another employee, then told them that they already approached Fernandez, who told them the city has no money.

"Nanuol na mi ni mayor pero wa kunoy kwarta. Sige lang way kwarta?" Tapio asked.

Tapio then asked why the city allocated for overtime pay when it lacked funds. She brought up the case of assistant budget officer Nona Narca, who reportedly received more than P30,000 as OT pay last 2004, and another P40,000 this year put on hold by the accounting office.

Bucao said last year, when the union asked for its members' Collective Bargaining Agreement, budget officer Edgardo Mabunay promised to include the benefits in the next budget allocation as he said there was indeed enough funds from the surplus items.

But city accountant Viluzminda Villarante, who was also invited by the council, said there were no such benefits included in this year's budget.

Narca, who was also summoned to explain her pay, said she would rather let the payroll speak for her.

Villarante explained that an employee is only entitled to not more than half of her month basic wage as OT pay. With regard to Narca's receiving P30,000 for her 2004 OT services she said it was supported with valid documents like Daily Time Records. But she said the city uses a Bundy clock and a worker can easily ask someone to punch his card for him/her.

Narca's "style" was reportedly discovered when this year she and fellow Budget Office staff submitted to the city accountant a "manual" DTR for their reported overtime.

This was not accepted by Villarante who told them to present the computerized copies of their DTR. Last year, the city started using computerized recordings of attendance wherein the employee personally attends to, as his/her forefinger is used to sign in.

But, the computerized DTR did not match with the manual one, Villarante said. Thus, she did not approve of the budget office staff's application of OT pay despite Mabunay's vouching that they were really doing extra work when they brought their work home. They were asking more than P40,000 in OT pay.

The city accountant said even other departments' workers bring paperwork home but do not ask for additional pay. She said it is also not allowed as no one knows if these employees are really working at home.

Villarante later said P5,000 was too much to spend on cellphone load, and that some who are not entitled to this allowance are getting them.

The said "privilege" allowance was "reasonable" according to the resolution's author, councilor Bas.

Union secretary Dalisay Gabriel also raised another "unfairness" in the city hall's management of funds. She said of the many applicants for the monetization of their unused leave credits only two were granted.

It was reportedly because one of them, Lenny Labuca, a staff of the city treasurer's office, was in urgent need of money because someone in her family was hospitalized. The other one was Antero Alinsunurin of the budget office. This was confirmed by Bas.

Human Resource Management Officer Emily Cabrera said she already submitted last year a list of employees with their corresponding benefits to the budget officer, but this was rejected by Mabunay.

She also denied having approved the application of Labuca.

"I don't know why nakalusot," she said.

Since there were no documents presented, Vice Mayor Aberdovey Belleza asked union president Joel Balorio to present the documents for the council during the next session. - Liv G. Campo