Makati City to release P235-M Christmas bonus next week

The local government of Makati City will release next week some P235 million in Christmas bonuses to some 8,100 regular, casual and contractual city government employees. City Personnel Officer Vissia Marie Aldon said the bonuses include their 13th month pay, fringe benefit, cash gift, and incentive allowance. “We want to help our employees plan ahead their expenses, as well as avoid the Christmas rush," Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. said in an article posted on the city web portal. "We also know that as the Christmas season draws nearer, prices of essentials for this time of the year increase. Early shopping would enable our employees to avoid these price increases," he added. Aldon said the lowest-ranking casual employees, Laborer I, will receive at least P20,870. She added the lowest-ranking regular employees will receive P19,642.50, slightly lower than the amount for their casual counterparts. She said the amount is lower because they were given half of their 13th month pay in June to defray enrolment costs. Mayor Binay said he ordered the early release of the year-end bonuses to help city employees defray other Yuletide expenses and avoid the holiday rush. –VVP, GMANews.TV