City Hall workers to get refund for undelivered uniforms

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has assured City Hall employees that they will receive the cash equivalent of uniforms that were never delivered.

Archival clarified that the procurement was undertaken during the previous administration and that the supplier identified at the time failed to deliver the uniforms.

The issue resurfaced after Councilor Jun Alcover publicly criticized the city government for deducting uniform fees from employees’ salaries despite the items not being distributed. His remarks drew renewed attention to a long-standing grievance among workers, including those whose contracts were not renewed under Archival’s administration.

Alcover’s statements also triggered pushback from the mayor’s supporters, who noted that the deductions were made before Archival assumed office.

While stressing that the problem did not originate under his term, Archival said his administration is committed to resolving it to safeguard employees’ welfare and restore trust in the city’s processes.

“The uniforms were ordered not under my term, and unfortunately, the supplier did not deliver,” he said. “We cannot allow employees to keep waiting for entitlements that were never fulfilled.”

To settle the matter, the Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) and the City Treasurer’s Office are now coordinating to finalize the reimbursement process.

Employees will receive the cash value of the uniforms—a measure city officials say is the most practical solution given the procurement lapse. They added that the reimbursement is intended to close the issue and demonstrate accountability.

Once the mechanics are completed, the city expects the release of funds to ensure fairness for affected personnel. — (FREEMAN)