A City Hall employee, who declined to be named, said he will use the bonus for the hospital bills of his father. He was grateful for the City Council’s approval of the supplemental budget, as well as to Mayor Michael Rama.
Another City Hall employee from one of the departments in the executive office said she will keep the bonus as part of her savings in preparation for the delivery of her yet-to-be-born child. She is pregnant.
Around 5,000 employees in Cebu City Hall are expected to receive the bonus.
This has been made possible after the City Council approved the final deliberation and third reading of the supplemental budget ordinance proposed by Councilor Noel Wenceslao during its regular session on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
The council approved the amount of P67 million for the General Fund Proper and P12 million for the special accounts.
Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera made a motion, asking the Cebu City Treasurer’s Office, City Accounting Office and the City Budget Office to release the bonus not later than April 5.
Last Feb. 20, Rama announced during a flag-raising ceremony at the City Hall that all regular and casual employees would receive a P15,000 bonus in line with the city’s 86th Charter Day anniversary on Feb. 24.
But before that, Rama even made announcements that he wanted to give out as much as P50,000 per employee if the city’s coffers would allow it.