The 3,200 employees of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental will only get an additional bonus of only P1,700, not P10,000.
This is because the Capitol cannot go beyond the Personal Services cap allowed by the Department of the Budget and Management, explained Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.
Diaz expressed concern that the provincial government may exceed beyond the PS cap set by the DBM at P27 million if they will grant P10,000 each to Capitol employees.
Diaz said that the additional bonus is being counted as part of PS budget.
Under the present budget, he continued, the allowable amount to be released would only be P5 million in order that it will not exceed the cap set by the budget department.
If divided to 3,200 employees, each will get only P1,700, he added.
Diaz said he will leave it to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer who already discussed the matter, if they will push through with the giving of P10,000 additional bonus.
He also disclosed that Lacson has already filed a petition before the Office of the President for an exemption, a similar concern he had raised during the meeting of Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines Friday last week.
Capitol employees recently received additional bonuses of P40,000 on top of their 13th and 14th month pays, as well as P5,000 cash gift.
The additional bonus is part of the SRI or the Service Recognition Incentive as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.
In his order, Duterte said the administration recognizes the value and importance of government employees for their participation and contribution in the current efforts towards streamlining government procedures and in the delivery of public services.
Those entitled to receive are employees who are occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier announced that Bacolod City employees will receive the P10,000 additional bonus. – GB
