City to give employees long held off allowances (South Road Properties)

CEBU, Philippines – As early as now, Cebu City Hall is experiencing part of the fruits of the first sale at the South Road Properties.

This as the City Hall employees will receive their Additional Compensation Allowance and Personnel Emergency Relief Allowance which was supposed to be released in 2006 yet.

Acting mayor Michael Rama yesterday announced during the weekly flag-raising ceremony that the over 4,000 city government employees may receive the 2006 ACA and PERA allowances in time for the 72nd Charter Day celebration.



A supplemental budget will be crafted by council committee on budget and finance which will legalize the release.

City administrator Francisco Fernandez said the giving of ACA and PERA started in 2006 but the city at that time could not afford it yet because of the payments for the SRP.

Now with a surplus of over P250 million from 2008 and with the recent closure of the first bulk sale of the SRP, the city can now extend the long-delayed allowances to the employees.

PERA and ACA was already raised to P1,000 each in 2007.

The city made its first sale recently with Filinvest Land Inc. for the development of 50.6 hectares for modern commercial and housing center.

The total contract is P25 billion, which entitled the city a down payment of P250 million. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)