DAVAO CITY — The local government unit (LGU) of Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental has offered a “date allowance” to single LGU employees in search of a partner on February 14, traditionally celebrated as Valentine’s Day.

In an interview on Tuesday night, Feb. 8, Mayor Jason John Joyce said he was also offering single employees to take a “leave” on the same day and a guaranteed P2,000 date allowance if single employees could present a chat or text message that they will be going out on a "date" on February 14.

“I will allow you to go on leave on Valentine’s Day with P2,000 date allowance as long as you can present a chat or text that you have a date,” he said referring to the single LGU employees.

Joyce said photos of the single employees’ actual date must be submitted to the mayor’s office upon their return to work on February 15.

“Otherwise, they will refund the date allowance,” he said referring to those who fail to present proof.

Joyce cited that he got the idea from Mayor Adrian Davoco of Basud, Camarines Norte who will be allowing his municipal employees to have a 'leave' on Valentine’s Day to find "true love".

In his interview with Brigada News FM Daet, Davoco said he will approve leave requests of his single employees on February 11 provided there will be someone left in their respective offices to process transactions and their respective reports submitted on time.

“ I thought of doing the same thing. However, apart from the leave, they also need an allowance for dating,” Joyce said.

He noted that the announcement made the employees excited.

“Nobody availed of it yet but there are also non-employees who wished to avail it. I am thinking of opening this to all JASenyos but will only cater to the first ten who will apply,” the mayor said.