BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Employees of the Negros Occidental provincial government are “still privileged” despite having lesser additional bonus this year, according to Negros Occidental Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) president Renelo Lastierre.
They have other sources such as the service recognition incentive bonus which is P10,000; productivity enhancement incentive – P5,000; Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) – P25,000, and the performance-based bonus which is 65 percent of the salary, he pointed out.
“Employees of the provincial government will still receive a bigger additional bonus compared to other local government units in the province because we have a CNA as it has a duly-accredited union,” Lastierre said.
Based on the lowest salary grade of an employee, they will receive a minimum of P47,000 in additional bonus, he pointed out.
Regular, co-terminus, and plantilla casual employees will also be eligible to receive the additional bonus.
Meanwhile, job order employees and those classified as contract service employees will get a gratuity pay of P3,000 to P5,000 and food packs in December.
Earlier on Wednesday, Nov. 16, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government employees would receive a much lower additional bonus this year compared to previous years.
“We will be giving only what is allowed. We will stop the policy of giving Incentive Benefit for Exemplary Services (IBES), knowing that it will be denied,” Lacson said.
Capitol employees each received IBES amounting to P25,000 last year and in the previous years.
The governor also said giving IBES would affect retiring employees because it would be deducted from their retirement benefits.
“e will stop giving it but if [our appeal in the Supreme Court] wins, we will give it again,” he added./PN
