• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez on Sunday (Nov. 17) announced that regular employees will receive more than P50,000 bonus this Christmas season, after the Department of the Interior and Local Government declared the city as a recipient of the 2024 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).
Benitez attributed the achievement to the team effort of the city officials and employees.
He said that contractual employees will also receive a bonus although he did not disclose the amount yet.
Benitez said that they are awaiting the guidelines from the Department of Budget and Management as to what amount is being allowed for them to distribute to both city officials and employees.
The Victorias City mayor, who is running for congressman of the third district in the May 2025 elections, said he is hoping that local government units (LGUs) will be given a leeway as to how much bonus they can give to their employees, depending on the available budget.
The Victorias City government employees received their year-end bonus and cash gift last month.
Aside from Victorias City, other SGLG awardees this year include the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, the component cities of Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, La Carlota, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, Sipalay and Talisay, the municipalities of E.B. Magalona, Hinigaran, Ilog, Isabela, La Castellana, and Manapla, and the province of Negros Occidental.
Being an awardee for two consecutive years, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government is “inspired to continue, and even improve our service to the Negrenses.”
“With this, I encourage other LGUs to draw inspiration from this achievement. Let us work hand in hand to make Negros Occidental a model of good governance for our province and the Negrenses,” he added. | GB
