GOVERNMENT workers, especially from national government and state agencies including government operated and controlled corporations, state universities and colleges may have a merrier Christmas after all.
This as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has approved an additional P10,000 bonus, over and above the traditional P5,000 and 13th month pay for them, reports bared.
The president, who has been meaning to make the annual family celebration merrier this season even in this time of fiscal crunch has been urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to find sources of funds.
Such is to perk up the economy by boosting up spending.
Along this, the president has approved the allocation of P 7 billion to fund the additional Christmas bonus for all state workers, including permanent, casual and contractual employees.
Of the full amount, P7,000 would be the additional cash gift from the national government while the remaining P3,000 would emanate from the employees respective agency savings.
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, in reports said they have started crafting the guidelines for the fund assistance, which would be available starting next week.
He also explained that the cash incentive has not been incorporated in the 2009 regular budget, so that his agency has to peruse agency budgets and savings to be able give the cash windfall.
In Bohol, unconfirmed reports have initially bared that Capitol is willing to put out P10,000 cash bonus, this time to include casual and contractual workers, said spokesperson Antonieto Pernia.
Speaking during the weekly the Governor Reports, Pernia said this would be the third year that Capitol has included employees without employee-employer relationships.
Local governments, which uses a different guideline for cash windfalls are allowed to hand in cash bonuses by virtue of their fiscal autonomy, subject to availability of funds. (PIA)
