JULY 16, 2023: A glimpse on the facade of the Cebu Metropolis Corridor. CDN Digital picture | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia vowed to hunt an exemption from the Fee on Elections (Comelec) to permit the discharge of the Constitution Day bonus for metropolis authorities staff regardless of the election ban.
In an interview on March 28, Garcia defined that the first impediment to releasing the bonus is the election ban, which prohibits the disbursement of non-recurring monetary advantages throughout the marketing campaign interval.
In contrast to common salaries and upkeep bills, that are exempt from the ban as a part of town’s unusual operations, the Constitution Day bonus is assessed as a one-time incentive, making it topic to restriction.
“The one drawback with the Constitution Day bonus now’s that it falls throughout the election ban. If it had been a part of the common course of, like salaries, wages, or upkeep bills, it wouldn’t be topic to the ban. However since this can be a one-time bonus and never recurring, it turns into a problem,” Garcia defined.
READ: Cebu Metropolis OKs P35K bonus, scraps P88M livelihood program
The Constitution Day bonus, amounting to P35,000 per common and informal worker, was accredited as a part of the primary supplemental price range (SB1) on March 26.
Nonetheless, because it was not included within the annual price range and was positioned beneath the supplemental price range, town’s accounting and finance workplaces have reservations about its launch amid the election ban.
Garcia admitted that the delay in approving the supplemental price range contributed to the timing drawback.
He identified that the Metropolis Council solely accredited SB1 on March 26, simply two days earlier than the native marketing campaign interval started. This left town administration with restricted time to course of and disburse the bonus earlier than the beginning of the election ban.
“I promised them that by March, I’d launch it. However the council accredited it late. Is it my fault that it was accredited solely on March 26? Processing it after that’s extraordinarily troublesome,” Garcia stated.
READ: Cebu Metropolis Corridor employees’ bonuses on maintain as price range revision ordered
The native marketing campaign interval for the 2025 elections formally started on March 28, and with it got here the enforcement of Comelec’s spending restrictions.
Below Comelec guidelines, the election ban on public spending prohibits the discharge, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds for non-essential and non-recurring bills throughout the marketing campaign interval.
Whereas salaries and upkeep bills are exempt, bonuses and different one-time incentives fall beneath restricted classes to stop the usage of public funds for political achieve.
Garcia stated he’s decided to pursue all needed steps to safe an exemption from the Comelec. If the exemption is just not granted, he plans to go to Manila to personally file a petition.
READ: Comelec retains eye on ‘ayuda’ actions: No pols, kin, employees
He additionally emphasised that the bonus is only meant for worker welfare and never for political affect.
“Ug muingon sila ug dili, I’ve to go all the way in which to Manila and file a petition for exemption and hopefully after one week kay klaro man gyud ni nga dili ni pamolitika no or to extend votes, that is actually for the staff. So maybe in the event that they see it that manner, ma-grant-an dayon ta ug exemption, mo-release dayon ta,” Garcia stated.
Constitution Day bonus hike
The Metropolis Council accredited the supplemental price range 1 on March 26, revising the preliminary proposal from P635 million to P587.7 million.
The price range adjustment included growing the Constitution Day bonus from P25,000 to P35,000 per worker. This improve was made attainable by reallocating funds initially earmarked for a P88-million livelihood program, which was scrapped attributable to an absence of justification from the chief division.
The choice to extend the bonus got here after Councilor Noel Wenceslao, Chairman of the Committee on Price range and Finance, advisable returning the unique price range to the chief division for revisions throughout a session on March 5.
Election ban on public spending
The election ban on public spending, which takes impact throughout the marketing campaign interval, prohibits the discharge, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds for non-essential and non-recurring bills. This regulation goals to stop the misuse of presidency sources to achieve a political benefit throughout elections.
This additionally signifies that any try by native authorities items to launch bonuses or related incentives throughout this time requires prior clearance or exemption from the Comelec.
Failure to adjust to the principles might lead to administrative and authorized penalties for officers concerned. /clorenciana
Learn Subsequent
Disclaimer: The feedback uploaded on this website don’t essentially symbolize or replicate the views of administration and proprietor of Cebudailynews. We reserve the proper to exclude feedback that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial requirements.
