Bacolod City Councilor Renecito Novero, chairperson of committee on education, said Tuesday the public school teachers will receive their emergency cost of living allowance (Ecola) anytime this week once they complete the requirements.
Novero said City Accountant Corazon Cardel confirmed that the Ecola budget, which was charge to the 2016 budget, has already been obligated.
“Once they complete the requirements, the City Treasurer’s Office will release their Ecola,” he said.
Last week, hundreds of public school teachers held a “silent protest” at the Bacolod Government Center, calling for the release of their Ecola.
Gualberto Dajao, president of Bacolod City Public School Teachers Federation, had earlier said that about 3,200 public school teachers did not receive their P6,000 quarterly Ecola for three quarters, or nine months.
The Ecola is sourced from the Special Education Fund (SEF) and the General Fund.
The teachers who were hired in 1997 and earlier receive P700 from the SEF and P1,300 from the General Fund. Those who were hired from 1998 and up receive P2,000 from the General Fund monthly.
Novero said they will help the teachers expedite their requirements.
He added that they are waiting for the decision of Mayor Evelio Leonardia on the complaints hurled against Mario Española, a pre-auditor of the Management and Audit Services Office, who allegedly failed to act on their payrolls.