Talisay Has Yet to Give Bonus to Employees

It’s only days before Christmas but Talisay City Hall has yet to release the bonuses of its regular employees.

As of this morning, City budget Officer Edgardo Mabunay said they are still looking for funds where they could realign for the workers’ bonus. Mabunay admitted the city has run out of funds after the present administration has allowed the hiring of more than 2,000 job order workers and financed projects that were not part of this year’s annual budget. The situation, he said, has left the city almost out of funds.

But Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes, in his speech before the city hall workers yesterday, said if he were to decide he would give them P30,000 each plus a month’s salary’s worth for Christmas bonus, but the city just does not have that much funds. The city, last year, gave that much to its regular employees while P5,000 each to each job order worker.

In today’s session, the council approved a resolution allowing the mayor to release funds for the city workers, but did not specify how much as according to Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante they, too, do not know how much the city could give. Villarante said they have yet to wait for the City Budget Office’s study on which government funds it would realign for the workers’ Christmas bonus, and until then he said the workers have to wait for advice.