THE Cebu City Government will now double the Christmas bonus given to job order employees, but Mayor Michael Rama still plans to stay true to his word that no bonuses will be released unless each and every City Hall employee gets vaccinated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The budget intended to fund the increase of bonuses for the job order (JO) employees of Cebu City Hall has been approved by the Cebu City Council.

Instead of the usual P3,000, the JO employees will now be taking home P6,000 plus a sack of rice this Christmas.

However, Mayor Rama will not release the bonuses if not everyone in Cebu City Hall gets vaccinated.

Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, who chairs the committee on budget and finance, pushed for the approval of the bonus increase during the City Council’s regular session held on Dec. 9, 2021.

Rama had made the request to Garcia about increasing the bonuses of the JO employees who work in all barangays and within City Hall due to their dedication and service during the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The supplemental budget has also been approved by the City Council.

The supplemental budget, which contains the designated amount for the P20,000 bonus for all casual and regular employees, signifies that all City Hall employees will be receiving bonuses.

But again, the distribution of the bonuses will be contingent upon all City Hall employees getting vaccinated against Covid-19.

According to Cebu City Hall’s human resources department, only 85 percent of the 9,999 City Hall employees are currently vaccinated. Hence, as of Friday, the distribution process had not yet been finalized.

Last November, Rama said City Hall had around 1,000 regular employees, 3,000 casuals and more than 5,000 job order workers.