Speedy approval of City Hall budget hoped

CEBU, Philippines — Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is now asking the City Council to approve the over ?300-million Supplemental Budget (SB) 3 which has the first tranche of the salary increases and a bonus of ?25,000 for the City Hall employees.

Yesterday, Garcia said he already signed the proposal for the SB3 last week which he now anticipated to be included in the agenda for next week’s regular session of the City Council. The council, he added, is also expected to refer the proposal to the Committee on Budget and Finance, and the Committee on Laws.

As this proposal will be running through more processes ahead, including a budget hearing, Garcia is hopeful that this will be approved with this month.

The proposed SB3 is at over ?300 million and includes the first tranche of mandatory salary increase for government employees, the bonuses for the Cebu City Hall employees (regular, casual, and job-order), as well as the honorarium for the barangay-based workers.

During the regular City Hall flag raising ceremony yesterday, Garcia said that this will be the first time in the history of City Hall when the barangay-based employees will be included in the annual bonuses.

This will include lupons, barangay tanods, barangay health workers, barangay environmental officers, day-care teachers, GAD focals, and disaster and fire volunteers.

“So of course we will be praying, and asking divine intervention that the Cebu City Council will approve our SB3 at the soonest possible time,” said Garcia.

Garcia is proposing for a ?25,000 bonus.

On the other hand, Garcia also reminded the employees during the ceremony to “focus on their respective job” amidst the election fever. The filing of the certificate of candidacy will begin today, October 1, 2024.

“Dili ko mupugong ninyo og dunay moy mga personal choices karong umaabot nga piniliay. Di sad ko mupugong ninyo kinsa inyon botaran kay ang pagbotar usa ka sagradong butang nga gihatag sa kahitas-an ninyo ug sa atong balaod,” said Garcia. — (FREEMAN)