Hontiveros orders release of JOs’ service premium

CEBU, Philippines — Acting Cebu City Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros has signed a memorandum directing concerned finance departments to release the service premium of all Job Order (JO) employees, following concerns raised by the Cebu City Council.

Hontiveros confirmed this to The Freeman in a text message on Sunday, June 22, three days after Councilor Noel Wenceslao, chairman of the Committee on Budget and Finance, raised the issue before the council regarding the unreleased service premium incentives for JO employees.

According to Hontiveros, he signed the memorandum on Friday, June 20. It was addressed to the City Budget Office, Accounting Office, City Treasurer’s Office, and other relevant departments for immediate processing and release.

He clarified, however, that the directive applies only to those JO employees who already have appointments. He noted that those who reported delays in salaries are not included.

“I believe some job orders nag comply lang sa ila accomplishment reports mao naay delay,” Hontiveros said.

Asked about the delay, Hontiveros explained that the service premium pay had not been exempted from the election ban on the release and utilization of government resources.

“Mao wala naka pirma si mayor RG (Raymond Garcia) because of the election ban,” he said.

It can be recalled that the Cebu City Council previously called on outgoing Mayor Garcia—who is currently on leave—to facilitate the release of unpaid service premium pay and salaries of JO employees. Some of these payments have remained pending since October of last year.

This call followed the privilege speech of Wenceslao during the council’s regular session last Wednesday.

In his speech, Wenceslao cited that the council had approved Ordinance No. 2744 on May 22, 2024, titled “An Ordinance Establishing and Instituting the Grant of Job Order Service Premium to Job Order Personnel in Cebu City.”

He said the city appropriated at least P50 million this year for the release of the service premium.

Section 4 of the ordinance outlines that JO employees may receive a service premium pay not exceeding P5,000 in the months of May and November each year.

Wenceslao detailed the guidelines, stating that the benefit shall depend on a declaration of propriety by the local chief executive and the availability of city funds.

He also noted that JO personnel must have rendered at least three months of satisfactory service, as certified by their department heads, as of April 30 and October 31 annually.

In the same speech, Wenceslao said he had already approached Garcia twice on the matter, and that Garcia had instructed Cebu City Administrator Lawyer Kristine Batucan to issue the necessary memorandum for the release of the service premium.

Wenceslao also raised another concern that some JO personnel have not received salaries due to the absence of formal appointments. He cited the Coastal Management Board (CMB) as one example, where staff have allegedly gone unpaid since October 2023.