Council okays CH employees' bonus

CEBU, Philippines - Good news for Cebu City government employees needing extra cash in time for the resumption of classes in June.

The City Council yesterday has approved a resolution authorizing the city budget office to release the midyear bonus and cash gift for the city workers this month.

In a proposed resolution, City Councilor Joey Daluz III said that it has been customary for the city government to release the half of the midyear bonus and cash gift on or before May 15.

The employees’ midyear bonus is equivalent to half of their monthly salary while the cash gift is 50 percent of their yearly cash grant.

Daluz also said that with the release of the bonus and cash gift, the employees can now have money for their children’s tuition and other expenses for the opening of classes in June.

But the monetization of leave credits will be moved to June because the city government has to give way to other priorities such as projects.

Many employees had complained about the delay in the monetization and why it is done per cluster of departments at a time.

The first cluster of departments may apply for monetization of leave credits in June, another cluster in July until all will be able to apply.

The city government has appropriated P8 million for the monetization fund.

City treasurer Ofelia Oliva said they decided to move the monetization to June because the city government has now other priorities. — (FREEMAN)