Provincial workers to get additional bonus

OVER 2,300 workers of the government of Leyte will receive additional bonuses of P10,000 this December, Governor Jericho Petilla said during the Christmas party at the Capitol grounds last week.

The bonus is on top of the salary differential of the 10 percent salary increase for calendar year 2010, which the governor has approved.

The announcement of the amount for the extra cash gift was the most awaited part during the provincial Christmas party.

Petilla said it was a hard battle between the government employees association and his office as to the final amount that should be given to the employees as additional bonus.

"It has been a long deliberation between the officers... as to how much really can the province give considering that we have already reached our salary cap for the year 2010," Petilla said.

It was learned that expenses on personnel have already reached the 45 percent cap of the total budget of the province.

Still, the governor added, his administration will find ways to come up with the additional bonus so that employees can still have money to spare during the Yuletide season.

The salary differential covers only the 10 percent salary increase from January to December of 2010. Salary increase for 2011 has yet to be decided upon, the governor said.

Job order workers would likewise receive P5,000 each just like last year.

Though the announcement was applauded by the Capitol employees who attended the party, the amount was much lesser than the P22,500 the employees received last year.

Per the governor's order, the additional bonus and salary differential will be released before December 25. Leyte Samar Daily Express