By Minka Klaudia Tiangco Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso asked the Manila City Council to authorize the early release of the mid-year bonus for regular city hall employees as the entire Luzon is now under enhanced community quarantine. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso
(Manila Public Information Office / MANILA BULLETIN) The statement came after President Duterte appealed to big businesses to give their employees their 13th-month pay, or even half of their monthly salaries, as financial assistance during the Luzon-wide quarantine. In his city address broadcast live on Facebook on Monday evening, Domagoso said the early release of the mid-year bonus will be the city government’s way “to ease the struggles that workers will undergo” during the enhanced community quarantine. The city mayor also called on business firms in Manila to follow the city government’s lead and provide financial assistance to their employees. “Ang pamahalaan ay nanghihikayat sa mga pribadong kumpanya, nanguna na kami sa pamahalaan na tumugon sa layunin ng national government (The city government is urging private companies. We are already leading in complying with the objectives of the national government),” he said. Meanwhile, Domagoso signed Ordinance No. 8620, which appropriates a supplemental budget of P60 million that will be used to provide financial assistance to all employees, including contractual and job-order workers, of the Manila City Hall. According to the city ordinance signed by the local chief executive on Monday, about 20,000 workers will be given P3,000 each. In a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Duterte placed Luzon under enhanced community quarantine. Per the Department of Health, the Philippines now has 187 COVID-19 cases, with 12 mortalities as of Tuesday afternoon.