MAYOR Nestor Archival clarified that the financial assistance to be given to casual and job order (JO) workers of the Cebu City government is a gratuity pay, not a Christmas bonus, stressing that national rules prohibit the grant of bonuses to non-regular employees.
Archival said the City will release P7,000 in gratuity pay to eligible casual and JO workers, in accordance with national guidelines, and apologized for his earlier statement referring to the amount as a Christmas bonus.
“The bonus really cannot be given to JO workers. What the President allowed is a gratuity pay of P7,000. At first, we had P5,000, then we added P2,000 to make it P7,000,” Archival said during the press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.
The City Government employs more than 4,000 personnel, including over 2,000 casual employees and around 1,000 JO staff. All these workers are expected to benefit from the incentive once the council completes its review.
He explained that the assistance will be given in addition to the workers’ regular compensation, noting that many JO workers earn a take-home pay of around P12,000.
“The terminology was wrong. I’m sorry for that,” Archival said.
He added that he had instructed the City Treasurer’s Office to source the additional P2,000 so the full P7,000 could be released before Christmas.
The clarification follows the issuance of Administrative Order (AO) 39, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, Dec. 11, approving the release of a one-time gratuity pay for contract of service (COS) and JO workers in government.
Under the order, COS and JO workers who have rendered at least four months of actual and satisfactory service as of Dec. 15 and whose contracts remain effective on the same date are entitled to a gratuity pay not exceeding P7,000.
The AO recognizes the contribution of COS and JO workers to government programs and service delivery, noting that while they receive salaries comparable to regular personnel, they are not entitled to benefits such as mid-year and year-end bonuses, performance-based bonuses and the personnel economic relief allowance.
Workers with less than four months of service are entitled to gratuity pay on a pro-rated basis:
Those with three months but less than four months of service may receive up to P6,000.
Those with two months but less than three months, up to P5,000.
Those with less than two months, up to P4,000.
The order covers COS and JO workers in national government agencies, state universities and colleges, government-owned or -controlled corporations and local water districts.
Payment of the gratuity pay may be made starting Dec. 15, and the order takes effect immediately upon publication.
Regular employees will still receive their P15,000 Christmas bonus. / CAV