Council seeks action on salary delays of security personnel

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council is calling on concerned departments to shed light on the months-long delay in the release of salaries for personnel under the Peace and Order Program (POP) and supervised by the City’s Civil Security Unit (CSU), as Councilor Pastor M. Alcover Jr. urged immediate action.

In his privilege speech during the latest regular session, Alcover disclosed that about 100 workers have yet to receive their pay for November and December of last year, with some not even renewed as Job Order (J.O.) employees.

“These personnel have already rendered their services. They have performed their duties in support of the City’s peace and order efforts. They therefore deserve to know the status of the compensation due to them,” Alcover said.

He stressed that the matter is not only about the workers themselves but also about their families.

“It is not only them who are affected, but also their respective families that depend on their salaries for daily needs.”

Alcover stressed that the affected workers are not asking for favors but for what they have rightfully earned.

“They are simply asking for the salaries due to them,” he declared, adding that clarity is needed on whether the delay stems from budgetary, accounting, auditing, or administrative bottlenecks.

Alcover then pushed for transparency.

“We need to know the present status of the processing of their salaries. We need to determine what caused the delay, whether there are pending documents or requirements, and whether there are issues involving the budget, accounting, auditing, or other administrative procedures,” Alcover demands.

Alcover also emphasized the need for accountability from concerned offices.

“If there are documents or requirements that the POP personnel need to comply with, they should be properly informed so that these can be immediately addressed. If there are concerns on the part of the concerned offices, these should likewise be clearly identified so that appropriate action can be taken.”

To address the matter, the City Council has scheduled an Executive Session on September 8.

Representatives from the Office of the City Administrator, POP, and the City Budget Office are summoned to attend.

The session will determine the number of affected personnel, the total amount of unpaid salaries, the reasons for the delay, and the remaining requirements before payment can finally be released.

“Let us therefore give them a clear explanation, address whatever problems may be causing the delay, and work toward the immediate release of their unpaid salaries,” Alcover ended.— /IHM (FREEMAN)