BACOLOD City – To enhance efficiency and expedite payroll processing, the city government is set to implement a biometric attendance system for employees starting January next year.
Erman Aguirre, head of the Human Resource Management Services (HRMS), said the new system will initially cover regular employees, with job order and casual workers to be included in subsequent phases. The system offers two options for recording attendance: face recognition or fingerprint scanning.
The HRMS pilot implementation will take place at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), where 12 biometric machines will be installed across the building’s three floors. Afterward, the system will expand to offsite offices such as the City Health Office and Bacolod City College.
Aguirre explained that the new system aligns with Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez’s digitalization program to transform Bacolod into a “Super City”. By integrating attendance data directly into the Management Information Technology and Computer Service (MITCS) office, the system is expected to centralize and streamline attendance processing, reducing payroll delays.
“This system eliminates manual processes and prevents potential cheating on attendance, such as writing incorrect time-ins on Daily Time Records,” Aguirre said.
He also emphasized the importance of punctuality among government employees, who are mandated to work 40 hours weekly, typically from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break.
Employees are required to file leave applications for absences, whether through earned leave credits or approved leave of absence. Habitual tardiness or unauthorized absences could lead to disciplinary action under Civil Service Commission (CSC) rules, Aguirre warned./PN
