• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved Dec. 16 the allocation of P29,176,935 as gratuity pay of contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers of the Bacolod government, and P30 million as service recognition incentive (SRI) of qualified city employees.
Funding for the P7,000 gratuity pay of each eligible COS and JO employee will come from the DSSD-Food Supplies Expense of P15,176,935, and BCC-Other Professional Services of P14 million, per certification from City Budget officer Maria Imelda Williams.
The SRI of P20,000 each eligible employee, meanwhile, will be sourced from savings due to unfilled vacant positions in the city government, from January to October this year, Williams added.
The grant of a one-time gratuity pay of up to P7,000 is pursuant to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Administrative Order (AO) 39 dated Dec. 11.
Per the AO, the COS and JO workers who have rendered a total or aggregate of at least four months of actual satisfactory service, as of Dec. 15, 2025, and whose contracts remain effective, as of the same date, may be granted a one-time gratuity pay not exceeding P7,000 for this year.
COS and JO workers who have rendered less than four months of service, as of Dec. 15, may still receive gratuity pay on a pro-rated basis of not exceeding P6,000 for those who have been working for three months but less than four months; not more than P5,000 for those two months but less than three months in service; and P4,000 for COS and JOs less than two months in service, the Department of Budget and Management said in a statement.
Aside from COS and JOs of local government units (LGUs), the gratuity pay also covers those workers engaged by national government agencies (NGAs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), and local water districts (LDAs).
The one-time FY 2025 SRI shall also be given to all qualified government personnel at a uniform rate not exceeding P20,000, the DBM said. “The incentive shall be granted to those who are still in government service and have completed at least a total or an aggregate of four months of satisfactory service, as of Nov. 30.”
Those who have less than four months of service, as of Nov. 30, shall be entitled to a pro-rated share of the incentive, depending on the length of service, the DBM said. “The SRI covers all civilian personnel occupying regular, contractual or casual positions in NGAs, SUCs, and GOCCs, military and uniformed personnel, and employees in the legislative and judicial departments and other offices vested with fiscal autonomy, LGUs, and LDAs.” | CGC
