The Bacolod City Council yesterday approved P48 million as an additional bonus for some 1,200 qualified city government employees.
Councilor Cindy Rojas, the chairperson of the committee on appropriation and finance, said each employee will receive P40,000 each.
The ordinance was passed after Mayor Evelio Leonardia said on Monday that he will submit the request for the approval and concurrence of the City Council.
The amount of P40,000 includes the P25,000 as Collective Negotiation Agreement Incentive, which will be released not earlier than Dec. 15, and the P5,000 as Productivity Enhancement Incentive, which will be given before Dec. 15.
The CNAI, which is provided in Budget Circular No. 2019-5, and the PEI, which is based on Budget Circular No. 2017-4, will be given to regular, contractual, casual, appointive, and elective personnel.
The allocation for the CNAI was sourced from the savings under the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.
The Service Recognition Incentive of P10,000, which is granted under Administrative Order No. 19, will also be given to regular, contractual, casual, appointive, and elective personnel, including those under the barangay offices, by Dec. 20.
Leonardia said the CNAI has a flexible amount, depending on certain considerations, and has a cap, according to the guidelines.
“We are declaring to give this, given all the circumstances, especially so that we had performed creditably very well for this year, as proven in the awards, recognitions, and accolades we got, particularly those coming from the Department of the Interior and Local Government. We believe that our city employees deserve this so we are going for the maximum of P25,000,” the mayor said.
City Budget Officer Ma. Imelda Williams said the city employees are grateful to the mayor for deciding to maximize the amount that will be released for their added bonus. (PNA)
