Approval of SB 3 that includes CH bonuses deferred

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City government employees may have to wait another week yet to determine the fate of their P25,000 bonuses as the final deliberation for the more than P287 million Supplemental Budget 3 (SB) which includes its source of funds has been deferred despite having a certification of sufficient source of funds.

This was the decision of the Cebu City Council after Councilor Noel Wenceslao, chairman of the council’s Committee on Budget of Finance, rendered his committee report on SB 3, which also served as the second reading.

Wenceslao, in an interview with The Freeman yesterday, Nov. 7, 2024, said they have to defer to a final deliberation since they have to settle questions raised, including Councilor Nestor Archival Sr.’s concern that there may be other job order (JO) workers that cannot receive cash incentives same as the others.

Wenceslao, however, said that the Gratuity Pay ordinance provides legal backing to provide bonuses to the JOs. This means that the basis to determine if a JO employee can receive a bonus is the length of service rendered to the city government.

Wenceslao’s committee report said that they conducted a budget hearing last October 22, 2024 in order to apprise the members of the council as to the purpose and utilization of the said supplemental budget.

It was in the same budget hearing that the SB 3 amounting to P287,425,964.81 was presented by Cebu City Administrator Lawyer Kristine Batucan.

Its breakdown includes more than P216 million for Personal Services, which includes the first tranche of salary increases and the grant of bonuses, while more than P70 million is intended for the Maintenance and other Operating Expenses (MOOE). These items are indicated to be under the General Fund Proper.

For the Special Accounts, its breakdown includes more than P34 million for another batch of Personal Services and another P875,000 for another wave of MOOE.

The expenditures included in the SB 3 is intended for the implementation of the first tranche of the salary increase for the local government personnel as mandated by the national Executive Order (EO) 64. This is anticipated to benefit 3,783 casual employees and 2,646 regular employees of Cebu City Hall.

The SB 3 also includes the P25,000 cash incentive to be granted to all “qualified employees” of Cebu City Government, as well as the P5,000 “service premium” to the 4,681 project-based employees or Job Order (JO) employees.

Lastly, it also includes the grant of “One-time Cash Assistance” of P5,000 for 6,692 Barangay Workers of the Cebu City Government.

As stipulated in the committee report, the City Treasurer, Mare Vae Reyes has certified the availability of funds to support the proposed SB 3 and that the city has “actual cash”. With this, the committee report also recommended its approval.

Further, Wenceslao disclosed that there are other casual employees that cannot receive their full amount of incentive based on the months of their service.

He added that a casual employee needs to be a casual employee for at least six months in order to receive their full bonus. For those who only have six months below of service, they shall only receive the 50 percent of their entitled bonuses.

Wenceslao however has yet to give the number of JOs and casual employees who cannot receive their bonuses yet. — (FREEMAN)