Rama in disbelief after council cuts promised P35,000 Christmas bonus

Cebu City Mayor to meet City Council: I am here now, I will fight to bring the P35,000 bonus back

During the city’s flag raising ceremony on Monday, which was also live streamed through Cebu City’s Public Information Office’s page, Rama can be seen fuming because of the council’s decision. | Screengrab from Cebu City PIO/Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama expressed his disbelief on Monday, December 18, after learning that the promised P35,000 Christmas bonus was slashed to P20,000.

During the city’s flag raising ceremony on Monday, which was also live streamed through Cebu City’s Public Information Office’s page, Rama can be seen fuming because of the council’s decision.

READ: Marcos grants cash incentives to gov’t workers

Rama on why bonus was cut

“Kumpleto ba inyong pagkamalipayon? Sigurado mo? Nga inyong bonus wa ko kasabot nganong naingon ana. This is an important gathering because I feel sad. [The] P35,000 did not come from me,” Rama said in front of the employees.

(Is your happiness complete? Are you sure? That your bonus, I really don’t understand how that happened. This is an important gathering because I feel sad. [The] P35,000 did not come from me.)

The P35,000 Christmas bonus was announced to the city hall employees last October 23, 2023.

READ: Cebu City Hall employees to receive P35,000 Christmas bonus

P35,000 bonus slashed to P20,000

However, during the deliberation of the budget on December 13, Cebu City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, the chairman of the committee on budget and finance, revealed that the city council reached a consensus to align the bonus amount with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’’s pronouncement of granting a P20,000 incentive to government employees.

Wenceslao also mentioned that job order employees, who were initially slated for a P10,000 bonus, will now receive P5,000.

On December 12, President Marcos approved the granting of a P20,000 service recognition incentive (SRI) to government employees as well as P5,000 gratuity pay for the contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers in the government.

READ: Cebu City Council OKs cut in promised P35,000 bonus to P20,000 for gov’t workers

‘Sakitan ko’

“I’m emotional. Pila ra ang gihatag sa job order. Pila? Di na mao akong gusto mao nang sakitan ko, naglibog ko,” Rama said on Monday.

(I’m emotional. How much was given to the job order (employees)? How much? That is not what I want that is why I am hurt, I don’t understand.)

He called the Cebu City Budget and Finance Officer, Lawyer Jerone Castillo, City Treasurer Mare Vae Reyes, and City Administrator Lawyer Collin Rosell to explain to him how it happened.

“What happened? Is there another city hall? Is there another mayor? I’ve never had this experience before. Because I don’t dictate. I never dictated. I asked and checked pilay mahatag nato’ng bonus (how much bonus we can give)?” Rama said.

READ: Cebu City Hall employees continue to wait for release of P15,000 Charter Day bonus

Why the bonus was P35,000

Castillo was the one, who first answered Rama, and said that as early as February this year, they were committed to give P50,000 for the Charter Day bonus.

“But because we could not give that time kay wa pa may concrete savings, we gave P15,000. So, ang instruction [from] the mayor, the balance should be given at year-end. Mao nang naa tay P35,000. I think there was already a concurrence by both the executive and the legislative branches as early as February,” Castillo said.

(But because we could not give at that time because we did not have concrete savings, we gave P15,000. So, the instruction [from] the mayor, the balance should be given at year-end. That is why we have P35,000. I think there was already a concurrence by both the executive and the legislative branches as early as February.)

Rama further said that he did not want to give P5,000 to the job orders, saying that they had been working too much and could only receive such an amount, (it) was not fair.

READ: Rama: 6,000 Cebu City Hall employees to lose jobs before 2025

Fighting for the bonus

“One day, tris mil na lang ta [sa city hall]. Aymo’g kaguol, outsourcing ta. You will have jobs. I will guarantee those who will be displaced, you will still have [a] job,” Rama said.

(One day, we will only be 3,000 [at city hall]. Don’t be sad, we will outsource. You will have jobs. I will guarantee those who will be displaced, you will still have [a] job.)

He added that even when he was still a councilor, then became the vice mayor, until he became the mayor, he was always fighting for the bonus.

READ: Cebu City employees to receive P15,000 as Charter Day bonus

To call for a special session

Rama then told Castillo, Rosell, and Reyes, to tell him what he needed to do and that he was ready to sign any document addressed to the city council.

He also announced that he would ask for a “special session” with the council.

“I will appear to them, crying, please council, please make city hall employees happy. I’m back and I will fight for it and I’m telling you up to death I will fight for the rights of the poor and the rights of the employees. Kahibaw kayko ana (I really know that very much),” Rama said.

Meanwhile, Rosell said that the P35,000 Christmas bonus was bigger compared to other municipalities who could only receive P20,000.

READ: Gov’t employees to get service recognition incentive, gratuity pay

Ending discussion and singing a Christmas song

And as for Castillo, he said that the city’s Local Finance Committee (LFC) clearly acted “in accordance with what is legal, correct, and right” based on Rama’s instructions.

“Naa naman, nabuhat naman namo ang tanan. Ang amo lang giawhag siguro, hoping that the actions of the Sangguniang Panglungsod will also be in accordance with what is right, legal, and correct, based on the instruction of the mayor,” Castillo said.

(That is already there, that is all done. What we appeal, perhaps, hoping that the actions of the City Council will also be in accordance with what is right, legal and correct, based on the instruction of the mayor.)

To end the discussion about the Christmas bonus, Rama suggested to sing a Christmas song with the employees.

Rama arrived from Australia last December 16, 2023. | WITH REPORTS FROM PIA PIQUERO