Capitol employees will receive a P22,000 Christmas bonus before the end of the week.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said this amount is higher compared to last year’s across-the-board incentive of P20,000.
Davide’s announcement during yesterday’s flag raising ceremony drew loud cheers from Capitol workers.
Later in the afternoon, the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) approved a P38,543,000 supplemental budget for the bonus.
In previous years, officials often choose to reveal the amount on the day of the Christmas party but this year, the governor had to break the news earlier since the PB had their last session for the year yesterday.
Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Rodas said it was both Davide and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale who mutually agreed on the amount.
He said last year’s bonus was smaller since the Cebu provincial government’s fiscal status was “unstable” upon Davide’s assumption.
“This was always our practice before. Now, we are more stable and we have already saved so at least we’ll share our returns to the employees,” Rodas said.
The bonus will benefit 1,547 regular, co-terminous and casual employees but not including job order and outsourced personnel.
Rodas said they are targeting to release the amount as early as Friday.
Only those employed by October 31, 2014 or those who have served at least four months in the office will qualify for the bonus.
However unlike last year, the employees will not be receiving 25 kilos of rice.