24 CH execs told: Explain unpaid salaries of 50 staffers

CEBU, Philippines — A total of 24 department heads of Cebu City Hall have been called to explain after at least 50 employees under them did not receive their salaries for the past four months.

The Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) has given the officials 72 hours to respond after issuing a notice to explain last Monday.

In an interview, Henry Tomalabcad, head of HRDO, acknowledged that the issue of unpaid salaries has been a learning experience for Cebu City Hall officials after former mayor Michael Rama and several other officials were placed under six months preventive suspension by the Ombudsman due to unpaid salaries of employees assigned at the City Assessor’s Office. He noted that as a result, they have intensified their monitoring of payroll operations across departments.

Tomalabcad explained that the notice to explain was issued after it was discovered that employees—including regular, casual, and Job Order staff—had not been paid since October.

On January 6, 2025, the HRDO issued a memorandum instructing all departments to provide a status report on salaries and claims for 2024, following reports—received through calls and messages—that some employees had not received their pay.

According to Tomalabcad, some employees were informed by their department heads that their names were mistakenly omitted from payroll documentation. He emphasized that this issue needed immediate action, especially since Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia was expected to ask for payroll documentation reports.

“True enough, nakita nato nga daghan jud diay wala pa ma-process. Lain-lain man ilang justification, although mostly makasabot man ta sa department heads or sa admin officers kay ang uban nga mga requirements wala ma-comply sa mga empleyado,” said Tomalabcad.

While some explanations were deemed justifiable, Tomalabcad noted that others pointed to negligence. He stressed that admin officers are responsible for ensuring that payroll requirements are properly managed for each employee.

He also underscored the importance of timely salary disbursement, stating that employees need financial stability to remain motivated and perform efficiently.

The HRDO initially reported that over 50 employees had not received their salaries, with some waiting since October 2024. In light of this, Tomalabcad warned department admin officers, expressing hope that this situation would serve as a “wake-up call.”

He added that any department failing to disburse salaries on time must provide a justifiable explanation, or sanctions could follow. HRDO clarified that while they traditionally act upon formal complaints, they now take proactive measures by issuing notices to explain without waiting for complaints.

“Kay kung magpaabot mi sa complaint, dili ma-sulbad ang problema, ang mga empleyado man gud mahadlok,” said Tomalabcad.

He also noted that some cases appeared to involve employees being intentionally left out of payroll documentation. If proven, the responsible officials could face penalties, including suspension or termination, subject to the mayor’s decision.

“Ako lang i-reiterate ang order ni mayor nga dili siya mosugot nga naay salary nga ma-delay kay paningkamutan nga ma-motivate ang mga empleyado,” Tomalabcad reminded. — (FREEMAN)