Welfare workers want hike in stipend

SOCIAL workers assigned in family courts of the Regional Trial Court are asking the Cebu City Government to double their monthly stipend.

They wrote City Mayor Michael Rama to ask that their monthly allowance be increased to P5,000 from P2,500, starting November 2011 yet.

The social workers—Evelyn Cortes, Monica Mendoza, Josefina Mayol, Melanie Pude and Niñonito Pelenio—said they need bigger allowances to cover expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as fieldworkers.

They said they travel to conduct investigations and home visitations to children in conflict with the law (CICL), their families and neighbors in the different barangays in Cebu City.

Reports

They said their job also includes preparing case study reports of the CICLs, conducting group counseling sessions and establishing linkages with nongovernment organizations and government organizations, which are working with juvenile delinquents.

The social workers furnished the City Council a copy of their request letter, which was referred to the council’s committee on budget and finance and the Office of the Mayor for report and appropriate action.

The City is yet to evaluate the matter.

The court social workers and other members of the judiciary started receiving monthly allowances from the City during the term of then mayor now Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district).