Cebu City will celebrate its Charter Day on February 24, but the amount of the bonus for City Hall employees has yet to be finalized, Mayor Nestor Archival said Monday.
Archival explained that the city is still reviewing available savings and past audit issues to ensure that any incentive given complies with regulations.
“Wala pa tay gi-set nga amount. But naa gyud tay ihatag. Kinahanglan lang nga klaro ug sakto,” he said during a press briefing.
The mayor said the city is currently assessing potential savings across departments, noting that each office has its own approved budget and specific spending purposes.
Any unused funds will be identified through consultations with the heads of Cebu City’s 27 departments.
“If naay savings ug igo siya, kana ang ato ihatag,” Archival added.
He also acknowledged concerns from previous audit rulings, which questioned the release of Charter Day bonuses, including cases where incentives were later flagged and ordered returned.
“Unsa man ang pulos sa paghatag kung ibalik ra?” the mayor said, referring to bonuses that may be disallowed after review.
Archival said the city expects to have a clearer picture of available funds and compliance requirements by early next week.
Charter Day, celebrated every February 24, commemorates the founding of Cebu City.
In 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the release of P71.698 million in Charter Day service incentives distributed under former Mayor Michael Rama’s administration, including a P15,000 bonus for regular and casual employees.
COA suspended payments after the city failed to submit documentation detailing each recipient’s specific contributions, as required under Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2001, on the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (Praise).
The city was given 90 days to comply, or the suspension could be converted into a disallowance.
The COA identified 27 individuals as responsible for the transactions, including former officials and members of the Praise committee.
Archival said the current administration is taking those findings into account as it prepares this year’s Charter Day bonus. (LLP)
