SP okays delayed incentives for Dagupan workers
IN TIME FOR THIS YEAR‘S CHRISTMAS
LAST year, the Special Recognition Incentive (SRI) and Gratuity Pay of employees of the Dagupan City government due them on or before Christmas 2023 was blocked by the old majority the city council in May 2024.
This time, under the new majority at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, it passed on December 17 the ordinance enacting Supplemental Budget No. 6-2024 that appropriated P12.9 million mainly to pay the P20,000 SRI of regular employees of the Dagupan City government as mandated in an executive order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. five days earlier.
Last year, Mayor Fernandez in a bid to convince the seven councilors called a special session on December 30, a holiday, to enact the needed supplemental budget for SRI and Gratuity Pay of employees but the majority councilors were unmoved.
Instead, they filed a case in court for public disturbance against four employees who conducted a rally in front of the SP session hall to press for the passage of the supplemental l budget for their SRI. The court dismissed the case.
As soon as the EO of the President suspending Councilors Red-Erfe Meiia, Alfie Fernandez and Irene Lim-Acosga, was received, Mayor Belen Fernandez immediately convened on December 16 the Local Development Council with Liberato Reyna as co-chairman, to pass a resolution recommending the approval of a supplemental budget for the SRI and other Retirement and Life Insurances and terminal leave fees of employees in different offices.
Given the certificate of urgency issued by Mayor Fernandez, the SP acted on the LDC recommendation so that the employees will receive their SRI of P20,000 each before Christmas.
“Mabilis ang action kapag walang mga obstructinists na ang tanging hangad ay pahirapan ang mga tao. Pahirapan na lang nila ako, hwag lang ang mga tao, Fernandez intoned.
Given this swift action, the regular employees of Dagupan, numbering more than 700 will be the first in Region 1 to receive their SRI. (Leonardo Micua)
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