For working tirelessly as they confronted the danger and the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the over 5,000 employees of the Quezon City government deserve a year-end incentive equivalent to one-month salary.
Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor called on the Quezon City government to rewards its employees a 14th month pay, saying that like most Filipinos, they, too, face economic difficulties due to the pandemic.
“This would be an additional financial assistance to city personnel, who, like most of our people, have been suffering from economic hardship caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Defensor who is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas headed by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Councilor Winston Castelo, Defensor’s running mate, strongly backed the lawmaker’s proposal.
The grant of additional bonus to employees will mean an allocation of about P190 million According to Defensor the city government, which ranks high among the top five richest local government units in the country, Defensor, could afford the expense.
He said based on its own report, the city government collected P22 billion from local taxes alone in 2020 and should be collecting that much this year, aside from billions in internal revenue allotments representing the city’s share of national taxes.
“Clearly, the city can afford the extra one-month salary, in addition to other incentives and compensation city employees are entitled to under the law,” he added.
Defensor pointed out that Quezon City owes its financial stability largely to its personnel and residents religiously paying their taxes.
“It’s high time the city shows its appreciation to its workforce through an additional one-month salary grant,” he stressed.
He said all city employees, whether permanent, casual or contractual, should receive the incentive.
The Defensor-Castelo Malayang Quezon City team has unveiled a P17-billion economic recovery package that calls for direct financial aid to the poor and small businesses, improved pandemic responses and new infrastructure projects.
The two have also proposed a five-percent tax discount to all businesses in the city.