Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Monday, Dec. 15, announced the release of P648.84 million in cash assistance, benefits, and incentives for students, city employees, health workers, and contract personnel during the flag-raising ceremony at Manila City Hall.

“Where did this P648 million come from? From our taxpayers. So, I appeal to you, when you are dealing with taxpayers, treat them with respect because our revenues depend on their hard-earned money through the taxes that they are paying. We thank President Bongbong Marcos as we await the announcement on Administrative Order Nos. 39 at 40,” the mayor said.

Domagoso announced P302.18 million in incentives for permanent city employees, including co-terminous employees and elected officials.

The amount covers retroactive salary adjustments under the second tranche of the Salary Standardization Law, as well as medical, productivity, and service recognition incentives.

Eligible personnel will receive a P7,000 medical allowance, a P5,000 Productivity Enhancement Incentive, and a P10,000 Service Recognition Incentive, with releases scheduled from Dec. 15 to 23.

Job order and contract of service workers will receive P66 million in gratuity pay, with each eligible worker set to receive P7,000.

For health workers, the city will release P128.13 million in PhilHealth professional shares for personnel of Manila’s public hospitals and the Manila Health Department, covering collections from July to November 2025.

An additional P100 million in previously undistributed PhilHealth collections will also be released, benefiting medical and non-medical personnel, barangay health workers, nutrition scholars, and support staff.

Under the College Student Assistance Program, the city will distribute P46.03 million to 18,235 students of Universidad de Manila and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, covering allowances for the academic months of July to September 2025.

Another P6.5 million will be released under the College Subsidy Program for the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, covering the third quarter of 2025.

“Paldo ang mga Batang Maynila (Batang Maynila are prospering),” the mayor said.

“May I ask for a favor? Let us give our strongest and warmest gratitude to our taxpayers. Let us give them a round of applause. I cannot do it alone. In fact, I did not pay for this. They did it for us. Because of them, we receive what we get every 15th and 30th of the month),” he added.

In November, Domagoso ordered the release of P317 million in year-end bonuses and cash gifts for regular Manila City Hall employees, as well as P22.3 million in allowances for Manila prosecutors and judges.

He also previously announced the release of P243.4 million in social assistance for persons with disabilities, solo parents, and DSWD-listed senior citizens, along with more than P143 million in long-delayed funds for Manila’s 896 barangays covering clearance shares, development funds, and real property tax entitlements.

The mayor likewise led the rollout of the city’s “One Smart TV One Classroom” program, which distributed 397 laptops and 133 Smart TVs to 72 public elementary schools using P143 million realigned from the 2025 Special Education Fund.