Archival vows to hasten bonus release

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival on Tuesday assured City Hall employees that their bonuses will be released soon after the City Council approved the ?1.64-billion Supplemental Budget No. 3 (SB3).

“We are really pushing to expedite the processing so the funds can be released in time for Christmas,” Archival said during a press conference on December 16.

The mayor said his office has also received requests from barangay enforcement officers (BEOs), barangay tanods, and lupon members, adding that the city is studying how these can be accommodated within legal and budgetary limits.

Archival clarified earlier references to a “Christmas bonus” for job order (JO) workers, stressing that bonuses cannot be legally granted to JOs. Instead, they will receive gratuity pay in accordance with Administrative Order (AO) No. 39 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which authorizes a one-time gratuity of up to ?7,000 for contract of service (COS) and JO personnel who have rendered at least four months of service as of December 15.

Cebu City initially allotted ?5,000 per JO worker but will add ?2,000 to comply with the presidential directive.

“Originally, we budgeted ?5,000, but we will add ?2,000 and go with the ?7,000,” Archival said.

For regular and casual employees, the President approved a Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) of up to ?20,000 under AO No. 40. Archival, however, said the city may initially release only ?15,000, depending on the availability of funds.

“I don’t want to give false hope. Whatever is already budgeted, that will be released first,” he said, assuring employees that all mandated benefits—whether gratuity pay or SRI—will be released accordingly.

He stressed the city’s commitment to comply with national directives while balancing local fiscal realities.

Meanwhile, the Mandaue City Council, in a special session on Tuesday, passed ordinances authorizing the grant of a ?20,000 SRI to qualified government employees for fiscal year 2025 and gratuity pay of up to ?5,000 for COS and JO workers, depending on the length of service.

The measures are in line with AOs Nos. 39 and 40, which recognize the contributions of government employees in implementing programs, projects, and public services amid prevailing socioeconomic challenges.

The incentives will benefit qualified City Hall and city-paid personnel, subject to existing guidelines and the availability of funds.

Councilor Joel Seno, chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations, Budget, and Finance, said the city is working to fast-track the release of the incentives.

“We have already passed the SRI. This is the implementation of Administrative Order No. 40 signed by President Bongbong Marcos last December 14, 2025,” Seno said.

He said the SRI may be released ahead of the gratuity pay, with distribution targeted before Christmas. Funds will be sourced from the city’s local general fund.

Considering the city’s financial standing, Seno said the Local Finance Committee is exerting efforts to allow the simultaneous release of the incentives but assured employees that the funds will be disbursed as soon as possible.

“Hopefully before Christmas, our employees can already use this,” he said.

Seno added that Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano has directed concerned city offices to fast-track the implementation of the administrative orders.

Under the approved ordinances, regular employees will receive a ?20,000 SRI, while COS and JO workers will receive up to ?5,000 in gratuity pay. Those who have rendered more than four months of service are entitled to the full amount, while those with less than four months will receive the incentive on a pro-rated basis.

Seno said the council received copies of the signed administrative orders only two days earlier, prompting an immediate meeting of the Local Finance Committee on December 15, followed by the council’s final regular session for the year, during which the ordinances underwent first reading.

A special session was then convened on December 16 to complete the process.

“We fast-tracked everything so our employees can already receive the SRI,” Seno said, noting that Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede issued instructions to ensure the swift implementation of the measures.

The Malacañang-mandated incentives are on top of bonuses already released by the city government on November 15, which included a one-month salary bonus for regular employees and differential pay of ?5,000 for JO workers and ?2,400 for barangay health workers and Clean and Green personnel. — (FREEMAN)