THE executive department of the Cebu City Government will let the Cebu City Council determine the amount of the Charter Day bonus for City Hall employees.
Cebu City Budget Officer Jerone Castillo said Tuesday, February 6, 2024, that they have requested the City Council to determine the amount of the bonus.
Castillo said once the City Council come up with the amount, the executive department through the Local Finance Committee (LFC) will then look for the source of funding.
He added that Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants to avoid the same issues and controversies surrounding the 2023 Christmas Bonus for City Hall employees from happening again.
The City Council slashed Rama's promised of P35,000 Christmas bonus to regular and casual employees last December 2023, and only approved P20,000.
"Karon para wala na gyud issues and concern, let the Sangguniang (Panlungsod) suggest and hopefully the mayor can connect with the sanggunian that this is the amount that they have in mind," Castillo said.
Castillo said the suggestion of the Council will be scrutinized subject to savings and cash flow of the Cebu City Government that will support the source of funding.
After this, the executive department will propose to the City Council a supplemental budget that will fund the bonus to the employees, he said.
In 2023, the employees received P15,000 each after the Council approved Supplemental Budget 1 for 2023 amounting to P79 million for the Charter Day bonus of around 5,000 City employees.
The City Hall reported having approximately 9,000 employees on its payroll, this includes over 4,000 Job Order (JO), 3,212 casual, and 1,400 regular employees.
Cebu City Government celebrates Charter Day every Feb. 24.
On Monday, February 5, 2024, during the flag-raising ceremony, Rama announced that the City Hall employees would receive their charter day bonus. (EHP)