Belmonte releases P11 million productivity pay for employees

Quezon City Hall employees have another reason to be happy these days.

Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr ordered yesterday the release of some P11 million for the productivity incentive benefits of City Hall employees.

All elective and appointive officials and regular employees who have rendered at least one year of continuous service as of Dec. 31, 2001 and have at least achieved a satisfactory performance rating for two semesters immediately preceeding calendar year 2002 are entitled to the bonus.

But consultants, contractual employees, those who are on absence without official leave and those who have incurred absences without pay for a total of 10 days or more for the year 2001 will not receive the benefits. Those who are no longer in the service as of Jan. 1 have likewise been excluded from the productivity incentive benefits.

"This is a gesture of appreciation to the degree of productivity and dedication rendered by City Hall employees," said the mayor.

He said the grant of productivity pay has been guaranteed by National Compensation Circular No. 73 issued by the Department of Budget and Management.

The money for the productivity pay has been taken from the productivity incentive benefits package of the annual general fund budget of the city for fiscal year 2002.

The mayor earlier said he was confident that the city government would be able to meet revenue targets of at least P3.7 billion before the year ends, following a big leap in tax collections for the first quarter of the year.

The mayor has pledged to implement sound fiscal management policies to raise more funds to pay for programs for expanded social services to the city’s constituents.