Mayor Chan approves early release of mid-year bonus and 13th-month pay for gov’t employees

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – Here’s a piece of good news in this time of crisis and dread.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan has approved today, March 18, 2020, the resolution requesting his office for an early release of the mid-year bonus to all local government employees and to provide assistance to those who are not entitled to this benefit.

The resolution sponsored by Councilor Ricardo Amores states that since the threat of Cofronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 has increased by the day, it is imperative for the government to implement measures to help its constituents.

The resolution added that since Lapu-Lapu City is critically situated with an international airport in its midst, and with the implementation of various countermeasures by the national and local government such as community quarantine for 20 days, the imposition of new and emergency regulations, temporary closure of business establishments or shortened working days greatly affect the constituents economically.”

It further states that “the voluntary house quarantine of the city’s constituents, which includes the local government employees as one of the solutions to minimize if not to eradicate the effect of NCOV-19” has also greatly affected their economic status.

Since the implementation of the community quarantine around the city, the resolution noted that residents including government employees need to stock on “foods, water, vitamins, face mask, alcohol, and other needs,” hence the need to provide financial assistance.

For this, Mayor Chan added that they will also work on the early release of the 13th-month pay of the regular employees as well as the early release for half of the cash gifts for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs). /RCG