CH looking for ways to reward teachers

About 5,000 public school teachers in Cebu city may not be given cash incentives by City Hall this year after state auditors questioned last year’s P10,000 bonus which the city sourced from the Special Education Fund (SEF).

The Commission on Audit (COA) disallowed the use of the SEF to fund the teachers’ incentive, said Local School Board chairman Jose Daluz III.

“Tan-awn usa nato. We cannot just talk about incentives. I cannot just end this year, if money is available, not to also provide incentives,” said Mayor Michael Rama, who has yet to speak to Daluz about the teachers’ cancelled cash incentive.

If cash could not be made available, Rama wants non-cash incentives be given to the teachers.

Teacher’s Day

To make up for the loss, the city government is allocating close to P8.8 million for a Teachers’ Day celebration this month.

The amount may be spent on prizes and other things needed for the celebration.

Meanwhile, about 4,000 teachers who served during the October 28 barangay elections, will get their P1,000-honorarium next week.

Questioned

Auditors questioned the disbursement of P56.3 million last year for cash incentives of the public schools’ teaching and non-teaching personnel. Rama doubled to P10,000 the prior year’s cash incentives of only P5,000.

COA directed city officials to justify the use of the SEF for purposes other than school-related activities like the construction and repair of school buildings. Otherwise, auditors will demand a refund.

“We are still answering that audit observation. I will recommend to the mayor (as school board head) that we wait for the final decision of COA,” Daluz said.

While they want cash incentives for the teachers this December, the city government has to be “prudent” in the use of its SEF, said Daluz.

He said the non-release of incentives does not mean the city is bankrupt or that City Hall agrees with auditors about the use of the SEF.

Not bankrupt

“You cannot prevent talks, but definitely the city is not bankrupt. There is an objection from COA that we have to first address,” he said.

Daluz said the city government has more than enough SEF to spend on teachers’ cash incentives if only COA would allow them to use the funds. The city had P235-million SEF at the start of the year and without having to be specific, he said, that a big part of the outlay remains unspent and will be carried over to 2014.