CH employees may not get Charter Day bonus

CEBU, Philippines - The 5,000 employees of the Cebu City Hall may not be able to receive the Charter Day bonus unless Mayor Michael Rama justifies it as a priority than the medicines and spare parts of the city’s defective garbage trucks.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said the city had already granted P10,000 Christmas gift to each City Hall employee so there is no need for a Charter Day bonus.

The city celebrates its 75th Founding Anniversary on February 24.

In last year’s Charter Day celebration, Rama granted each City Hall employee a P10,000 bonus.

But the P47 million for such bonus was questioned by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) because the city had already exceeded its expenses for personal services.

Rama had ordered City Budget Officer Nelfa Briones to verify if there is surplus budget last year that could be used for the anniversary bonus.

But Young said the city legislators are not after the bonus, explaining that if there is surplus budget, it should be used for priority projects.

“Ang mga department head sige og reklamo nga kuwang ang ilang budget nga gihatag sa City Council unya kon duna sila’y surplus nga wala magasto last year nganong gamiton ra man sa paghatag og anniversary bonus (The department heads always complain about the City Council giving them a small budget then if there’s surplus why spend it on anniversary bonus?)” Young asked.  (FREEMAN)