City Hall employees receive P4,000 clothing allowance

CEBU, Philippines - Each of the more than 5,000 Cebu City employees finally received their P4,000 clothing allowance from the city yesterday.

The City Hall personnel had earlier criticized the city treasurer’s office for delaying the release of their benefits despite the order issued by the mayor.

The city had spent more than P20 million that was released in cash directly to the various City Hall department heads who collected the amount intended for their respective personnel from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

For the past weeks, the City Hall personnel were complaining for the delay on the release of their clothing allowance despite the order issued by former city administrator Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez last May 19.

Acting city administrator Veronica Morelos again wrote city treasurer Ofelia Oliva last June 8 reminding her of the order issued by Fernandez for the release of the clothing allowance for all city officials and employees.

There were reports that the release of said benefits was delayed because there is a certain official of the city treasurer’s office who wanted it not directly given in cash but be provided in the form of uniforms already.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Circular 2003-8 provides that the uniform or clothing allowance of government employees may be given in cash or in kind subject to the discretion of the agency head.

Morelos, who issued as memorandum in behalf of mayor, directed the city treasurer’s office to release the said allowance to the city employees “through their respective individual bank account.”