Proposed P10 thousand incentive for city workers ‘legal’

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Legal Office (CLO) sees no legal impediment to the proposed granting of P10,000 cash incentive to each city government employee under the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE).

The City Council earlier approved the resolution granting such incentive and moved to refer such to the CLO to inquire on the propriety of such move before the release of the amount.

“A careful evaluation of the attached Resolution No. 2, S. 2020 dated December 9, 2020, we find it not contrary to any law, morals, good customs, public order and public policy and in line with existing CSC, COA, and DBM rules and regulations in granting cash incentives to local government employees,” the legal opinion read.

“In view thereof, it is our considered view that there is no more legal impediment for the City Mayor to approve and give cash incentive to the Cebu City Government employees subject to availability of funds and personnel services limitation on budgetary requirement under the Local Government Code,” it added.

The PRAISE resolution provides for incentives of Cebu City government employees “for all the hard work and efforts that led the City of Cebu to receive the said commendations on the response against COVID-19 pandemic and recognitions.”

An amount of P10,000 shall be granted to active employees of the city government as of November 30, 2020 whose length of service is equal to or more than four months.

For those who have served for three months but less than four months, they will receive a pro-rated cash incentive of 60 percent of the P10,000; 40 percent for two months but less than three months; and 20 percent for less than two months.

On the granting year-end gratuity pay for job order workers of the city government, the CLO opined that there is no legal impediment for the city mayor to approve and grant such pay to JO workers subject to the availability of funds and personnel services limitation on budgetary requirement under the Local Government Code. — JMD (FREEMAN)