Bonuses for Mandaue workers get delayed?

CEBU, Philippines – The proposed ordinance appropriating budget for the cash incentives of the employees of the Mandaue City government is expected to be put on hold to prevent further disallowances from the Commission on Audit.

Mandaue City Councilor Diosdado Suico proposed "an ordinance appropriating P20,064,000" for the employees of the City Hall as part of the 46th Charter Day celebration.

However, Atty. Giovanni Tianero of the City Legal Office said they may put the implementation of the proposed ordinance on hold "to prevent further disallowances."

"Most likely, we will hold siguro the implementation because of the reply of COA implying that they will disallow if we release (cash incentives)," Tianero said.

Tianero also said that COA has not expressly stated that it does not allow the creation of the ordinance as it is on the discretion of the city council.

However, COA has reminded the City Legal Office that the previous ordinances concerning the bonuses of the employees were disallowed, according to Tianero.

"COA is implying that these types of release of bonuses for these types of ordinances shall be disallowed since they (COA) expressly stated in their reply a reminder on the disallowances on the previous ordinances," Tianero said.

According to Suico's proposed ordinance, more or less 700 regular employees will be given P10,000.00 cash incentives each.

The personnel of Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) and the Job Order employees will also be given P6,000 each while the employees of the Clean and Green and Barangay Health Nutrition Worker will  receive P4,000 each.

The budget for the proposed ordinance will be taken from the General Fund/Non-Office's "Other Personnel Benefits" and "Other Programs and Projects".

However, according to Suico, COA, through the City Legal Office, said that only the regular, coterminous, and casual employees are qualified for the cash incentives.

But Suico said that he has "not revised" the ordinance as he will look for ways to have all the employees be given cash incentives.

Tianero said that if the ordinance is approved, the personnel of TEAM, Job Order, Clean and Green, and Barangay Health Nutrition Worker will not be included yet in the releasing of the cash incentives.

"Ang ordinance dili lang usa iapil sila (personnel of TEAM, Job Order, Clean and Green, and Barangay Health Nutrition Worker) or sa pag-release dili lang sila iapil. Regular (employees) lang sa because sa (disallowances) sa COA," Tianero said.

Atty. Eliseo Ceniza, assistant city legal officer, has sent a letter dated August 24, 2015 stating that the proposed ordinance be revised.

Ceniza also advised the council that the cash incentives for the personnel of TEAM and Job order employees amounting P6,000, as well as the cash incentives for the employees of the Clean and Green and Barangay Health Nutrition Worker of P4,000 "be deleted".

However, Councilor Ernie Manatad, president of Association of Barangay Councilors and chairman for the charter activities, said the Committee on Budget and Finance is still discussing what it could do to include the JOs and personnel of TEAM, Clean and Green, and the Barangay Health Nutrition Worker in the giving of cash incentives.

Tianero also assured the employees that they are "very much willing to help the people," especially those who are affected by the giving of cash incentives.

The proposed ordinance is set for second reading this afternoon.