By Mel B. Cortes

I was initially scandalized when Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama announced that regular and casual employees at City Hall, as well as job order personnel, would be getting a P35,000 bonus and a P10,000 gratuity pay, respectively, for Christmas.

When I learned that the executive department had known since February that it would grant regular and casual employees a total of P50,000 cash incentives this year, I was mortified.

What did the employees at City Hall do to deserve such a largesse, which, may I remind everyone, comes from taxpayers’ money?

I want to know, from the mayor himself, why he believes using our taxes on government employees whose job is to serve the public in the first place is justifiable.

Given the council rejected the proposal, but now Rama has vowed to move heaven and earth to fulfill his promise to the employees.

After all, it’s all about the mayor nursing his hurt pride, and not about public good.