By Mae Singuay

An official of the Bacolod City Government Center apologized for the delayed salaries of 26 contract of service (COS) employees from the City Health Office (CHO).

“Nagapangayo kita sang pasensya sa delay nga natuga,” secretary to the mayor Karol Joseph Chiu said.

The affected employees include 14 nurses and 12 midwives, who have not received their wages for several months.

Some COS employees, whose contracts are from June to August of this year, complained about their delayed salaries.

Chiu explained that the delay was due to the processing of their documents.

He said the City Mayor’s Office received their papers on June 27, which needed a legal opinion, but they were released on July 24. 

He added that it was endorsed to the Sangguniang Panlungsod and requested authority to sign the contract from Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on July 27, but it was ratified on August 16.

According to Chiu, they will consult CHO on how to fast track the process.

The city tried to release their salaries on time, the same process for job order casuals, he emphasized.

He added their salaries will be released soon because they have their contracts already./MS, WDJ