Council OKs Supplemental Budget 1

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Hall employees may soon be expecting their Charter Day bonuses after the Cebu City Council has approved the proposed Supplemental Budget 1 (SB), which includes the funding for the said bonus, alongside the proposed budget for the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa, and the transitional housing project.

The approval of the SB1 took place in an online special session of the City Council last Friday, March 8, 2024.

With the approval of the SB1, the city can grant Charter Day bonuses to Cebu City Hall’s casual and regular employees who may receive P25,000 and P5,000 gratuity pay for Job Order personnel (JO).

During the session, Councilor Noel Wenceslao, chairman of the Committee on Budget and Finance delivered their committee report which was approved by the council.

According to Wenceslao, the total number of casual and regular employees is about 4,784 while the JOs are about 3,357 personnel. This gives a total of 8,141 employees.

The executive department requested a total of P963 million for the first supplemental budget, of which at least P120 million is intended for cash incentives.

Councilor James Anthony Cuenco during the session also highlighted that only those employees who have satisfactory ratings during the performance evaluation will receive their bonus.

Wenceslao, however, said that they have yet to get the figure on how many employees were able to acquire a satisfactory rating.

Further, Wenceslao also highlighted the provision that backs the granting of the said bonuses that were provided in the local budget circular from the Department of Budget Management, budget circular number 65 dated March 1997.

The coverage states that all local government personnel employed on a full-time or part-time basis whether on a temporary, permanent, or casual status, and contractual personnel whose employment is in the nature of a regular employee who has been appointed as such in a specific LGU by virtue of a valid appointment and continued to be employed in the same government unit as of the occasion of each milestone anniversary shall be entitled to the anniversary bonus.

With this, Wenceslao raised a motion, requesting the City Treasurer's Office to release the said bonuses on or before March 15, 2024.

On the other hand, councilors Zafra, Cuenco, Jun-jun Osmeña, Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, and Councilor Francis Esparis have manifested their refusal to receive their entitled bonus.

Meanwhile, Councilor Philip Zafra during the SB1 discussion proposed an amendment to the ordinance especially on the matters of the proposed budget for the Palarong Pambansa hosting, particularly on the provision of shelters.

“All of the programs and works and estimates of those projects including its contracts shall be approved first by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the city of Cebu prior to its processes and implementation,” said Zafra.

This amendment was carried out by the council.

Cuenco also raised a corollary motion that “strongly urges” the executive department to fast-track the processing and the approval of the pending Job Order appointments that have been in the office of the executive for the past several months.

Cuenco said this is to allow all JO employees to be able to receive their salaries and incentives that were approved.

The said motion was mass approved by the council.

Councilor Jerry Guardo also raised another corollary motion to request Architect Espina to present before the city council the design of the transitory housing project in an executive session.