By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) President Renelo Lastierre said yesterday that employees of the provincial government are “still privileged” despite having a lesser additional bonus for this year.

According to Lastierre, they have other fund sources for the additional bonuses, such as the service recognition incentive bonus which is P10,000; productivity enhancement incentive, P5,000, collective negotiation agreement bonus, P25,000, and the performance-based bonus which is 65 percent of the salary.

“Employees of the provincial government will still receive a bigger additional bonus compared to other local government units in the province,” Lastierre said.

Based on the lowest salary grade of an employee, they will receive a minimum of P47,000 in additional bonus, he pointed out.

Regular, co-terminus and plantilla casual employees will also be eligible to receive additional bonus.

Meanwhile, job order and contract of service employees will get a gratuity pay of P3,000 to P5,000 and food packs in December.

Earlier on Wednesday, November 26, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government employees would receive a much lower additional bonus this year.

“We will be giving only what is allowed. We will stop the policy of giving Incentive Benefit for Exemplary Services (IBES), knowing that it will be denied,” Lacson said.

Capitol employees each received IBES amounting to P25,000 last year and in previous years.

The governor said giving IBES would affect retiring employees because it will be deducted from their retirement benefits.

“We will stop giving it but if [our appeal in the Supreme Court] wins, we will give it again,” he said./DGB, WDJ