Lacson: Capitol to find ways for employees’ bonus

NEGROS Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that this year’s Christmas bonus of the Capitol employees may be affected after the province failed to get the Seal of Good Governance Award.

Lacson explained that several local government units got surprised by the new guidelines of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on budget spending.

The provincial government, he said, has underutilized this year’s budget as it was able to disburse only 40 percent of the budget.

The DBM required it should be at least 50% and unlike in previous years that once fund allocations are enough, but now it has to be disbursed, he added.

Lacson said that the DBM has the impression that if funds are underutilized, the concerned department has no capacity to fully utilize its financial resources that’s why it has reduced the budget of some departments in the national level and it trickles down to the LGUS.

“That’s why next year we are targeting to be 70% complaint to get the Seal of Good Governance Award,” Lacson pointed out.

“Without an award. I don’t know if there will be a bonus because that’s one of the basis. We were hoping for that Seal of Good Governance. We will find the ways to give the bonus,” Lacson said.

While the province would have savings which are the source for the employees’ bonus, but the new guidelines of the DBM may disallow the LGUS from doing so. The savings would also go to continuing projects and programs, he added.

Last year, Capitol employees received a total of P50,000 Christmas bonus.

Lacson said they have to pass the 2019 budget early so that department heads could also prepare and disburse the funds early to make sure that the province will get the award.*