No Christmas parties for Cebu City Hall employees; bonuses in limbo

The Cebu City Hall | CDN Digital File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will not be holding any Christmas parties in all departments this year, and the fate of their Christmas bonuses hang in the air.

Mayor Edgardo Labella made this announcement in a press conference on Monday, October 26.

“There will be no Christmas Party as a gesture of sympathy for difficult and trying times,” said Labella.

The mayor said the city government would be realigning a total of P5 million worth of funds supposedly intended for hosting parties this December.

“The P5 million for the Christmas Parties, we see to it that this shall be converted for the purchase of relief packs for those who are adversely affected by the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic,” said Labella.

Meanwhile, Labella also said he would ’have to think over’ on giving cash incentives to City Hall workers as Christmas bonuses, saying that the city was planning to give more aid to the underprivileged severely affected by the economic impact of COVID-19.

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“Considering the pandemic, I really have to think it over, if we have to give additional P10,000… I hope the City Hall workers will understand especially there are a lot of workers in our community, those with no-pay-no-work, who have not received anything,” he said.

However, Labella assured the city government workers that they would be able to receive their 13th-month pay.

Cebu City is currently placed under a mode of modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), and the regional health office here earlier recommended to have its status extended until December to ensure ‘a safer Holiday’ season. /dbs

READ MORE: DOH-7 recommends MGCQ for Cebu City until mid-December