Sagarbarria promises cash gifts for City Hall employees

CEBU, Philippines - Dumaguete City government’s almost 1,000 employees, both regular and casual, have every reason to be happy this Christmas, after Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria had announced the city will be giving each of them additional cash gift of at least P10,000 on top of the P5,000 mandated by law.

Sagarbarria made the announcement while the City Council was deliberating next year’s proposed budget of P645 million.

The 13th month pay will be received by the employees on November 23, including the loyalty bonus that will be given to employees who have reached the required number of years to qualify for such, he said.

The mayor added the clothing allowance for all regular and casual employees will also be released on the first week of January 2016.

According to Sagarbarria, the city’s finance managers was still trying to determine how much was left with the budget but he said he was sure, the additional cash gift will not be less than P10,000 for each of the 987 casual and regular employees.

For next year’s proposed budget of P645 million, salaries and wages have the biggest share of P224 million more or less, while P88 million will go to projects and programs funded by the 20 percent development fund. The rest will be for the maintenance and other operating expenses.

Of the total budget, P250 million will come from local revenues, P325 million from the Internal Revenue Allotment and P80 million as beginning balance.

Sagarbarria said the next city mayor will be very fortunate to have a very good budget to start with, due to the very efficient accounting system that is fully computerized.  (FREEMAN)