The Pasig City local government continues its efforts to improve its provision of benefits for its employees that include granting hazard pay and regularizing the employment status of casual or job order workers.
During the flag raising ceremony on Monday, Dec. 19, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said the Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) and other affiliated offices have ensured that city government employees such as those belonging to the Engineering Department and Public Safety Division will get their due hazard pay and back pay.
With the city council’s help, Sotto said they are aiming to give further additional pay for employees as the city’s budget allows.
Recently, the city council passed, on third and final reading, an ordinance giving hazard pay amounting up to P1,500 per month for members of the Engineering Department, who frequently perform duties that require safety and security.
This ordinance was authored by Councilors Volta Delos Santos, Maro Martires, and Simon Romulo Tantoco.
The ordinance will be effective starting January 2023.
“Ang mga bagay na ito , hindi naman talaga siya bonus. Deserve niyo naman talaga kasi may hazard nga ang mga trabaho ninyo (These things are not really a bonus. You deserve it because your line of work involves hazardous duties),” Sotto said.
“Pag meron tayong kayang ibigay sa ating mga empleyado, trabaho lang tayo ng tapat at mahusay, sigurado naman po kung ano ang legal na kaya nating gawin, may budget ba tayo para doon, kahit hindi hingin, ibibigay natin (If we have things we can give to our employees, as long as we work efficiently and honestly, and it’s legal and within our budget, we can give it to them even if they don’t ask for it),” he added.
During the Engineering Department’s Christmas party last Friday, Dec. 16, Sotto also said the HRDO will be promoting the department’s casual employees, especially those who have been employed under a casual status for five or more years, as permanent workers in 2023.
Based on length of service, those under a job order (JO) employment status will soon become casual employees.
Upon reviewing the available budget and casual items for 2023, employees under a JO status for two years and seven months can already be promoted to casual status in 2023, Sotto said.
Step-by-step, the local government is aiming to eradicate the JO status for their city hall employees, in order for them to fully receive the benefits offered to permanent workers.
Sotto asked for his constituents’ support for the on-going regularization program.