After P25T bonus, Capitol workers to get another P10 trillion

CEBU, Philippines — Elective and appointive Capitol employees will each get an additional P10,000 incentive this holiday season.

This after the Cebu Provincial Board, in a special session on Thursday during the Capitol offices’ Christmas party, passed a supplemental budget in the amount of P13.8 million for the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI).

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia certified the matter as urgent prompting the PB to pass the appropriation ordinance on first, second, third and final reading during the special session.

Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco, chairman of the PB committee on budget and appropriations, sponsored the appropriation ordinance authorizing the supplemental budget.

“Cognizant of the expertise and competence of the Provincial Finance Committee (PFC) in determining and reviewing the validity and legality of the budgetary matters, the same is accorded great weight and respect by the committee,” Soco said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 01 authorizing the grant of SRI to government employees for fiscal year 2022 at a uniform rate not exceeding P20,000 to recognize all government employees for their collective and invaluable contribution to the government’s continuing efforts to ensure responsive delivery of services to the public.

The guidelines in the grant of the SRI cover employees of local government units.

The grant of the one-time SRI to employees in LGUs, including those in the barangays, shall be determined by their respective sanggunian depending on the LGU's financial capability.

The SRI shall be charged against their respective local government funds, subject to the Personal Services (PS) limitation in LGU budgets.

Garcia said the original proposal was for a P20,000 SRI but she pointed out that P10,000 is “enough already,” especially that the employees were already granted P25,000 under the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) and their 13th month pay.

"Igo na na oy. Kadako na ana ang uban man gani walay mga bonus... Unya kita, maikog ta oy, nagtrabaho ta diris gobyerno unya dagko pa kaayo ta'g sweldo unya manggawas nga dagko kaayo ta'g bonuses, excuse me,” Garcia said.

Just last Monday, December 19, the PB also approved a P53.5-million supplemental budget containing the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) incentive.

The appropriation ordinance gives each qualified employee a P25,000 bonus, subject to the guidelines issued by the Department of Budget and Management under Budget Circular No. 2022-3.

Job order and contract of service personnel would also get P10,000 each, provided, not more than 120 percent of the comparable regular position rate/amount from date hired including the first tranche premium. —Le Phyllis F. Antojado (FREEMAN)