LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – For the first time, about 2,678 regular and casual provincial government employees received half of their 13th month pay recently totalling about P29 million.
Provincial Budget Officer Hilaria Claveria said the amount constituted 50 percent of the monthly basic salary of the employees depending on their corresponding monthly rates.
Gov. Amado Espino Jr. said the release of such compensation proved that Pangasinan has a robust economy despite the recent calamity that struck the province last month when typhoon Cosme devastated the province leaving billions worth of damages in agriculture and infrastructure.
Rudy de Guzman, Administrative Aide IV of the Provincial Planning and Development Office said in his 33 years of service at the provincial government, this is the first time that a mid-year bonus was given to them.
“Ngayon alam ko na kaya naman pala kung gugustuhin lang nila, at nagpapasalamat ako kay gobernador dahil dito (Now I know that it can if it wills to do so and I thank the governor for this),” he said. – Eva Visperas