Majority blocks request for SP staff
“DOUBLE” OVERTIME PAY
SHOULD the city government pay overtime twice to staff for same work rendered?
This question became another source of irritation and conflict among the Dagupan City councilors after Minority Leader Redford Erfe-Mejia and Councilor Alfie Fernandez attempted to block the passage of the P29.9 million supplemental budget No.2 requested by City Hall which includes the appropriation for Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) for employees.
The two legislators had asked for the inclusion of the claim for P270,000 in additional overtime pay for nine employees of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) in the supplemental budget as a condition for the approval of the supplemental budget.
Mr. Erfe-Mejia objected to the budget for overtime work rendered by other city government departments in the supplemental budget sought by the executive because it did not include the overtime pay being claimed by SP staff.
City Budget Officer Luz de Guzman, who presented and explained the details of the supplemental budget, however, explained that claims for overtime time pay without source of fund even if authorized by the head of office, is a violation of the Joint Circular No. 1, s. of 2015 of the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and Management dated November 25, 2015.
De Guzman also pointed out that P400,000 was already allotted for overtime pay of SP staff in the 2015 annual budget and the full amount has been fully exhausted for overtime work rendered by the nine employees “for codification of ordinances,” even as she warned that payment of another P270,000 for the same purpose will run the risk of being disapproved by the Commission on Audit.
She said the budget item was already in addition to the budget for overtime pay provided the SP in the 2014 budget, also paid for the same reason – codification of ordinances.
Under the joint circular, she said that there must be a determination of priority activities “that may warrant rendition of overtime services and the timing and duration thereof and determination of the number of hours of overtime services and the manner of compensating the same.”
De Guzman clarified that the overtime pay in the supplemental budget are for employees of the market division who were authorized by the city treasurer to work overtime in order to collect fees and revenues from vendors on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
In the requested overtime for the SP staff, the concerned employees reportedly did not present proof or description of work accomplished except for the same task, codification of ordinances, for which the city government already paid in the 2015 budget.
Councilors Jose Netu Tamayo, Jeslito Seen and Lino Fernandez, supporting De Guzman’s position, called for a division of the house, and the majority prevailed. The supplemental budget was approved and the P270,000 additional overtime pay was rejected.
The approved budget will cover the costs of terminal leave pay; overtime pay; water expenses; repair and maintenance of motor vehicles and watercrafts; documentary stamps and subscription expenses; telephone and internet expenses; gasoline expenses; repair and maintenance of government buildings; office supplies and equipment; consultancy and other professional services; representation expenses among others (Leonardo Micua)
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