CEBU, Philippines - If the city council will approve what the mayor has prepared, about 4,700 Cebu City government employees will receive a P7,000 anniversary bonus, this after the 76th charter anniversary bonus was included in the P36.7-million Supplemental Budget No. 1.
The amount is set to be divided for both Personnel Services (PS) and city payables.
The bulk of SB1 goes to PS, in this case the bonus amounting to P32 million.
The remaining P5.5-million budget is intended for city payables like the Sinulog 2013 expenses.
Employees were supposed to receive P10,000 as remainder from the promised P20,000 Christmas bonus but Mayor Michael Rama explained this could not be possible.
“We cannot just be pursuing what is beyond the allowable PS,†Rama said.
Cebu City administrator Jose Marie Poblete told reporters the funds were sourced from the surplus funds of the city.
“Actually, there’s fund from our surplus. But ato lang pud nga i-consider nga duna sad ta’y laing payables. So di lang pud nato hutdon ug panghatag sa mga empleyado. But seven thousand is still seven thousand,†Poblete told reporters.
City accountant Diwa Cuevas said their office has not finished checking the city surplus funds.
“As of now, we have identified about P100 million from the general funds. I cannot give the amount for special accounts since we are not yet done checking all,†Cuevas said.
SB1 is set for City Council discussion and approval this week.
Cebu City’s Charter Day is on Sunday, February 24. (FREEMAN)