REGULAR employees of the Mandaue City Government will receive their 13th month pay before Dec. 24, 2020, as mandated by law.
Many thought there wouldn’t be one because of the City’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
But John Eddu Ibañez, Mayor Jonas Cortes’ executive secretary, said the amount for this purpose was already included in the budget appropriations ordinance.
A total of 800 regular employees will receive a month’s worth of salary.
“We may not be able to celebrate Christmas like before but Mandaue City Government employees are still grateful and happy this pandemic Christmas,” said Alyx Sandrah Manatad, a staff member at the mayor’s office.
Ibañez said City Budget Officer Giovanni Tianero also budgeted the salary differential of 3,000 job order employees. They will receive P5,000 before Christmas eve.
Bea Belle Redelosa, a content writer at the City’s Public Information Office (PIO), told SunStar Cebu that the amount will be of big help, especially since the pandemic has nearly exhausted her family’s resources.
She said she will use the money to buy food for Christmas day.
Rheo Avenido, who also works at the PIO, is also grateful to the City for the “Christmas gift.” (KFD)