ON its last day of session for this year, the Cebu City Council brought some Christmas cheer by approving the P10,000 extra cash gift for City Hall’s 4,610 regular and casual employees yesterday.
The council approved on first and final reading of Supplemental Budget P46.5 million as requested by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
“The amount should be released directly to the employees and not through their ATM not later than Dec. 23,” said Councilor Augustus Pe Jr.
He noted that some bonuses were already obligated to or “sold” to loan sharks who possess their ATM cards.
The passage of SB 3 is in compliance with a national government directive authorizing the release of productivity enhancement incentive (PEI) amounting to P10,000.
When their session ended at 11 a.m., the council went on to hold a budget hearing to discuss SB3.
City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo said the Local Finance Committee identified P125 million in unspent Personal Services appropriation.
The savings included a P24-million item from the lump sum appropriation for salaries and wages.
Camarillo said they are taking the P46.5 million from the unspent allotment to fund SB 3.
Nelfa Briones, city budget officer, said the (PEI) guideline only authorizes the release of a maximum P10,000 to regular and casual workers.
She said the city government could only allocate ham, rice and P350 cash to job-order workers.
Savings from salaries and wages also came from unfilled government positions.
Briones said there were also employees who resigned before the year ended, thus resulting to savings in salaries.
The council also approved a six-month extension of Mayor Michael Rama’s radio contract with station dyRF, which airs his “Banat Sugbu” radio program.
But Young said they will ask the mayor to furnish the council with guidelines on what would be discussed in his radio program.
“I heard that the council and myself were being attacked in their radio program, which is being used for political purposes,” said Young.
Rama said in a separate interview that the council shouldn’t worry about the contents of the “Banat Sugbu” radio program hosted by Tony Avila.
“They (the council) don’t have to say anything about it because I have already made proactive measures before they even made their pronouncement,” said Rama.
He said he already gave instructions to only use the city’s radio program to promote projects and activities.
“It should never be used to be critical of people even when the council and the executive cut off its relationship,” Rama said.
The mayor’s office has a contract with radio station dyRF for a monthly fee of P141,600 for the airing of its radio program from 2 and 4 p.m., six times a week or every Mondays to Saturdays.