Talisay job orders to get bonus finally

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City sangguniang panlungsod has set aside P2 million to be given out to at least 2,000 job order workers who are not considered as state workers and therefore not entitled to receive regular benefits such as year-end bonuses and cash gifts.

Last Thursday afternoon, the city council held a special session to discuss the release of the bonus. 

Employment of job order employees depends on the availability of funds from the miscellaneous operating expenses allocation and not from the personnel services budget and is paid on a daily basis computation.

During the then administration of former mayor Socrates Fernandez, the job order receives P5,000 as bonus but the Commission on Audit (COA) issued a notice of disallowance. 

Aside from the job order employees, 311 regular employees will receive P25,000.

This totaled to P9.775 million for the Christmas bonus of more than 2,000 job order workers and regular employees.

Meanwhile, the city council also unanimously approved the city government’s P629,854,451.09  budget for 2014.

“We approved the budget according to the timetable,” Villarante said. 

While there was no slashing of the budget, Villarante said that provision on the hiring of job order was already limited to only 1,400 and each councilor has a quota of 50 workers while the vice mayor’s office has 100.

The 22 barangay captains will each have the luxury to employ three. 

Mayor Johnny De los Reyes submitted a proposed budget in the amount of P629,854,451.09  for the expenditures under the General Fund, 20% Development Fund, Talisay City College, Waterworks Operation, Market Operation and Slaughterhouse Operation, respectively for the expenditures to be incurred up to December 31, 2014.

The expense category is distributed as follows: P142,334,613.76 for personal services; P283,590,380.32 for maintenance and other operating expenses; P21,059,626.10 for plant, property and equipment; P108,946,398.71 for non-office expenditures; and P73,913,432.20 for development fund. – (FREEMAN)