Mandaue Job Order workers to get wage differential this Christmas

Job Order (JO) workers of Mandaue City will have extra cash this month even if they are not qualified to receive a Christmas bonus.

Mandaue City Budget Officer Atty. Giovanni Tianero said JO workers will receive their salary differential which is about P4,000 each.

The 1,936 JO workers were paid P340 a day but the rate was increased to P375 effective July this year.

The local finance committee certified that there is available funds for the Job Order workers’ salary differential.

Tianero said the City Council and executive branch agreed to shell out P7 million for this so that thee workers receive something for Christmas.

The Commission on Audit has disallowed bonuses granted to JO workers in 2011 and 2012. Since 2013, the city has stopped granting the bonus pending results of the appeal filed by Mandaue City.

However, Tianero said the salary of JO workers may roll back to P340 a day next year as the increase will depend on the availability of funds.

“Inig balik January, pwede mabalik sila sa old rate nga P340 per day. But midyear, i-determine if makaya sa city makapagawas og funds,” he said. (By January, their salary could go back to the old rate of P340 per day. By midyear, the city will determine if there is enough funds for an increase.)

Tianero said this is “following the basic government principle that all expenses are subject to availability of funds”.

“We are doing what we can to help the JO workers because of the COA disallowance. Nihatag sad silag incentives sa ilahang JOs. (COA has granted incentives to their Job Order workers.) How can this be illegal when COA themselves granted yearend incentives to their JOs?” he said.