The Commission on Audit has issued a Notice of Disallowance of the Productivity Enhancement Incentive of about 600 casual plantilla workers of City Hall.
As a result of the disallowance, the workers have been ordered to return the bonus they received last December.
City Administrator William Ablong confirmed the COA move, describing it as unfair, citing previous instances during the administrations of former Mayors Felipe Antonio Remollo and the late Agustin Perdices that this practice went on without being questioned by the COA.
The Notice of Disallowance was sent to the City by the team leader of the COA, Lourdes Algopera, citing the absence of an “employer-employee” relationship.
City Hall regular workers had also “voluntarily” given P2,500 from their bonuses, for the job order workers who were not qualified for the same.
Ablong explained that according to the COA, some casual plantilla workers whose wages are charged to the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) are directed to return the P20,000 because they do not have an “employer-employee” relationship.
Others whose salaries are taken from the lump sum appropriation are also required to return their PEIs from last December 2013 but only in the amount of P15,000, Ablong added.
This is a very sad development for all, Ablong lamented. The absence of an “employer-employee” relationship for the casual plantilla workers would mean they are not qualified for benefits like PhilHealth, PAG-IBIG and GSIS, he pointed out.
Many of these casual plantilla workers had served the city government for more than 15 years.
“The big question is why is it only now that the COA has declared a disallowance for the same benefit which other mayors had practiced in the past?” Ablong said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria has reportedly bucked the notice of disallowance, saying that he will be fighting this all the way to the Supreme Court, according to Ablong.
In the meantime, the next move of the city is to write the regional COA office asking to reconsider the notice of disallowance.
If this shall not be resolved at the COA regional and national level, the mayor, through the Office of the City Legal Officer, will seek legal action even if it means going to the Supreme Court to protest the move, Ablong disclosed.
Also, Ablong clarified that the notice of disallowance will not yet take effect as he allayed fears of City Hall workers, some of whom are already negative in their wages, or are not anymore receiving any amount.
As of today, many city government workers are still subject to garnishing of their paychecks from the disallowances of additional cash incentives given them in previous years. (PNA)
