Capitol workers to get another cash bonus

CEBU, Philippines - It’s final. Over 1,400 Capitol employees can expect another cash incentive from the provincial government before Christmas Day.

This after the Cebu Provincial Board approved during a special session yesterday its sixth supplemental budget for this year amounting to P235.4 million. The amount covers the P20 million incentive for regular and casual Capitol workers and the P198 million appropriation for the purchase of heavy equipment.

Budget officer Danilo Rodas said the incentive may be given out next week, with each employee receiving P15,000.

The incentive was granted under the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE), an award system adopted by the Capitol and approved by the Civil Service Commission recognizing government employees’ and officials’ endeavors and contributions to the efficiency in government operations.

The awards committee of the Capitol decided to grant incentive after Cebu was recognized the third most competitive province by the National Competitiveness Council. The competitiveness index measures the local government unit’s economic dynamism, government efficiency, and infrastructure.

This incentive is on top of the other bonuses regularly granted to the workers such as the Productivity Enhancement Incentive which was already released last July at one month basic salary, yearend bonuses which were equivalent to one month’s worth of the employees’ basic salaries, and cash gifts amounting to P5,000 which were also distributed in May and November.

The PB also approved yesterday the appropriation of P198 million as part of the P250 million budget for the purchase of heavy equipment. The purchase, however, will be bankrolled from a Landbank loan.

Capitol inked in July a loan agreement with Landbank which signaled the start of the bidding process for 11 types of heavy equipment.

The province initially set aside P50 million for the heavy equipment.

Rodas explained that the ordinance passed by the PB yesterday appropriating P198 million is a requisite for the release of the money borrowed from Landbank and the awarding of contract to the winning bidder for the supply of heavy equipment.

The appropriation ordinance is also required for the province to shell out funds to pay the loan, he added.

Under the law, no money should be paid out of the local treasury “except in pursuance of an appropriation ordinance or law.”

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III earlier signed the notice of award to ConEquip Philippines Inc. as the bidder with the lowest calculated and responsive bids for the supply of the equipment with P250 million total bid.   (FREEMAN)