For job order employees: VM filing ‘legal basis’ for bonus

CEBU, Philippines —  For the Cebu City government to have "legal basis" in also giving a Christmas bonus to its job order (JO) workers, Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia would author an ordinance to this effect.

This came just four days after Mayor Michael Rama announced last Monday that City Hall's regular and casual employees would get P35,000 each as Christmas bonus.

“Walay apil ang JOs kay wala man gud na silay employer-employee relationship sa city. Job order ra man na sila. Wala gyud na silay labot sa Christmas bonus,” Garcia said.

He and Rama, however, were in agreement that the City would give something for the JOs, although it may not be as big as the P35,000.

Garcia said that although he has yet to have the ordinance included in the City Council's session agenda, he was confident they would approve the measure before the year ends.

In a separate interview, City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, City Council committee on budget and finance head, said the City has the funds for the JO workers' Christmas bonus.

"It is in a form of financial assistance sa atong mga JOs," he said.

Previously, City Treasurer Mare Var Reyes said that the City Government has already allocated P105 million funds for the regular and casual employees' bonus.

She said that for the JOs' Christmas bonus, the City has to come up with a supplemental budget for it.

Yesterday, Wenceslao said the City Council is waiting for the mayor's proposed amount for the JOs' Christmas bonus.

"Wala pa siya miingon og pila but niingon na sya nga muhatag sya.... But possible ra na siya (bonus)," he said.

He said the City actually has an amount set aside for this purpose and if it is not enough the City Council would have to approve a supplemental budget to cover the lack.

"Dako man na atong allocated sa JOs. Pero di pa ta katan-aw kay compute-ton pa man nato kung pila gyud ang ihatag ni mayor," Wenceslao said.

"Kay kung dako-dako ang ihatag ni mayor, kinahanglan og supplemental (budget). Kung tan-aw nato sakto ra, then there is no need for supplemental budget," he added.

He clarified that if the available fund is enough to cover the total amount for the JO workers' Christmas bonus, granting it would still be subject to the City Council's approval. (CEBU NEWS)