28 January 2010
QC employees, among the best paid in the country
Most people think that working in the government sector means marginalized salaries; that only corrupt government workers tend to have financial gains.
But not in Quezon City where local government employees get as much as 14th month pay and not less than seven other cash incentives that are intended to make their lives better, increase their productivity, and make them less prone to corruption. The two months bonus plus almost P20,000 other incentives have led many to conclude that QC hall employees are among the best paid civil servants in the country.
All 4,754 plantilla personnel of the City government get midyear and yearend bonuses, which total to 100% of their basic pay. This represents their 13th month pay.
Good governance bonus amounting to another 100% of City Hall employees’ one month basic pay was also given, which serves as the equivalent of productivity enhancement incentive mandated by Administrative Order No. 276 issued by the President December last year. This serves as the employees’ 14th month pay.
Other cash incentives given to regular city hall employees total to more than P20,000, which include the incentive pay (50% of basic salary or the 14 ½ month pay), uniform allowance (P4,000), productivity incentive bonus (P2,000), cash gift (P5,000), anniversary bonus (P5,000), the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance or PERA (P2,000 per month), loyalty incentive pay (P1,000 for every 10 years and 500 for succeeding 5 years, which is only granted once), and the longevity pay (P100 per month).
Pursuant to the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, a subsistence allowance of P1,500 per month has been granted the doctors, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists and dieticians, employed by the City government. They also enjoy laundry allowance (P150 per month), hazard pay (equivalent to 25% of the basic pay for Salary Grade 19 and below, and 5% for SG 25 up).
Night shift differential is also granted to City government hospital workers who are on duty at the wee hours of the night.
The more than 6,500 contractual employees also enjoy additional cash benefits. In December last year, they received more than their 13th month pay, through the good governance incentive, which is 50% of their basic pay, plus the pamaskong handog, which ranges from P3,000 to P10,000 depending on an employee’s salary bracket. The pamaskong handog has been given to employees every December since 2002 and has been gradually increased since then.
But incentives do not stop there. In 2010, another P2,000 across the board service reward was given by the City government to its employees this January. This incentive has been given annually to City government employees for 9 years now.
The year 2009 was Quezon City’s 70th year founding anniversary. City Hall employees had more reasons to celebrate with the grant of P3,000 anniversary bonus to contractual employees rendering at least one year of service.
Traffic enforcers are also given a monthly incentive under the QC Traffic Management Code, which is equivalent to 20% of the total amount paid of their apprehensions for each month, excluding penalties.
In granting allowances and incentives to local government employees, the Department of Budget and Management always subjects the granting of said allowances to the LGU’s available funds. Luckily in Quezon City, the local government has the funds to recognize employees’ hard work by compensating them with cash incentives that hopefully translate into positive motivation to serve the public more efficiently.
