Monday, October 16, 2006 No bonus for City employees By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
MASSKARA Festival is for the people of Bacolod to smile amid crisis.
The reason why for three years now, the Silver MassKara Festival Organization Incorporated (SMFOI), the festival organizer, themed the festival in Hiligaynon: "Sigue Lang, Sigue Na, Bacolod Bato Kita" which implies that in the midst of crisis, let's fight the odds...let's smile.
But in this year's Bacolod City charter day anniversary on October 19, the more than 2,000 City Hall employees may have "nothing to smile to about" after Mayor Evelio Leonardia recently announced there will be no anniversary bonus for employees this year.
The mayor admitted to not having requested any amount for the approval of the City Council for this purpose.
Former mayor Luzviminda "Joy" Valdez, on the other hand, advised the employees to review their Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) if the charter/anniversary bonus is included among the benefits to be given to them by the City Government.
The CNA for the employees was approved during the later months in 2004 when Valdez was mayor.
The former mayor also said the giving of anniversary bonus is legal and allowed under the Local Government Code of the Philippines depending on the availability of fund.
When reporters asked Leonardia whether he allocated some amount for the bonus, "no, no, no!," was his answer.
Currently, Bacolod City has P387 million in internal revenue allotment (IRA).
It has also more than 2,000 employees including the 1,150 casual and job order employees.
Considering the number of employees, Valdez said the City should allocate a bigger amount.
As to the justification, Valdez said, there's no problem because October 19 is really the City's charter anniversary.
This year, Bacolod is turning 68 years old.
"Since this is MassKara, Mayor Bing should also think that we need money to enjoy the festival. I hope he will have a consideration for us," said a lady employee from the City's Social Services Department.
"Even a P5,000 anniversary bonus is enough for us and our families to enjoy the Masskara," said a male street cleaner whose status is on job order.
While a male garbage collector said they are hoping that Mayor Leonardia will give them the bonus like any other mayors from the other cities and towns in Negros Occidental.
"Kon maghatag si Mayor Bing sang anniversary bonus siguro siya na ang pinaka the best mayor namon," added another male garbage collector in Hiligaynon.
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