Saturday, December 08, 2007 500 street sweepers to get P1T each
THEIR long wait is over.
Almost a year after they earned it, some 500 of Cebu City’s street sweepers will finally get their P1,000 incentive from City Hall.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña promised them the amount last January yet for cleaning the streets just hours after the Sinulog revelry ended.
City Administrator Francisco Fernandez admitted there were no funds for it that time, which is one of the reasons for the delay in the release of the cash incentive.
He said the 500 regular employees and casuals have been waiting for so long and by Wednesday or Thursday next week, they will be ready to release the amount.
“We apologize for the delay but I will commit this will be released by middle of next week. This worries us because the employees might be discouraged from doing a good job,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Fernandez explained that there was no appropriation for the cash incentives when the mayor announced it last January but they were able to include it in the P68.964-million fourth supplemental budget, which was approved only last September.
But when the City Administrator’s Office was preparing the vouchers, they found out that it still cannot be released because the suggestions, incentives and awards committee still has not convened.
One of the requirements for the release of the incentives is a resolution from the committee authorizing the appropriation.
The committee passed the resolution only yesterday afternoon.
“This is one of the problems in government because you have to comply with too many procedures that can cause delays. When we give incentives, the reward should be given on the spot. If this Sinulog they would merit another award, we will give it right away,” Fernandez assured.
For the past three years, the mayor has been consistent in commending the street sweepers and garbage collectors for cleaning the grand parade route and the Cebu City Sports Center.
