Municipal hall workers to get P20,000 additional Christmas bonus

MUNICIPAL hall workers will be richer by a few thousands of pesos this Christmas. It is expected boost the local economy here.

This, after Mayor Alex R. Jajalla today approves the release of additional Christmas bonus to municipal hall employees following a resolution that the Municipal Council of Mahinog, Camiguin approved on Monday authorizing the release of funds.

“We want to make our municipal hall workers happy this Christmas,” the mayor said.

Municipal treasurer Judith P. Baita said the office of the treasurer will give out the additional Christmas gifts before the 15th of the month.

Those who will receive P20,000 as additional cash gifts will be permanent and casual employees of the municipal government. Employees on job order and honorarium basis can also have additional cash gifts of as much as P5,000 and P1,000, respectively.

In addition, all employees will also get P1,000 worth of grocery items.

Acting municipal budget officer Benito C. Paderanga said the additional cash gifts to about 150 municipal hall employees would cost the municipal government a total of P1.715 million.

The amounts will come from the year-end savings of appropriation, he disclosed.

The additional bonus is on top of the final half of the 13th month pay and P5,000-cash gift that government workers received last month. Half of this was released in the middle of the year.

CSC holds orientation on ethics in public service

MAHINOG, Camiguin - The Civil Service Commission (CSC) Camiguin Field Office held a half-day orientation and seminar to all public officials and employees of the Local Government Unit of Mahinog on Thursday morning Nov 4, 2010 at the SB session hall.

The orientation is a continuing intervention program of the Civil Service Commission aimed to imbibe among civil servants prompt, courteous and efficient service as well as to promote a high standard of ethics in public service.

CSC Camiguin Field Office Director Myriam S. Daaca (above photo) served as speaker in the event attended by officials and employees of the LGU (below).

People's Day in Barangay Owakan serves 145 residents

From L-R: TESDA OIC Provincial Director Engr. Loel D. Maniego; TESDA Specialist II Fabiana A. Abuzo and SSS Senior Analyst Eva Tuanson during the People's Day in Barangay Owakan, Sept 30, 2010.

ABOUT 145 residents in barangay Owakan have availed from the various basic services offered by the municipal government as it conducted its second regular People's Day (P-day) in said barangay today, September 30.

One of Mahinog's upland barangays, Barangay Owakan is located at the western part of the municipality with a distance of about 4 kilometers from Poblacion. It has a total land area of 324 hectares and with a population of 335 people (NSO, 1995).

During the P-day, 62 residents availed of free medical consultation and medicines; 50 families were given two kilos of rice each; 15 young and adults availed of free hair cut, 18 residents availed of free manicure/pedicure.

The Provincial Agricultural Office also handed about 150 bags of lanzones seedlings to residents. Other services include issuance of cedula, acceptance of tax payments, business, electrical and building permits; real property assessment, birth registration, among others.

The People's Day Program is a regular program of the municipal government aimed to give equal opportunity to people in the barangays to avail of the various services regularly offered by the municipal government and national agencies.

Mayor Alex R. Jajalla in a speech during the opening program said different offices of the municipal government including national agencies were around to respond to the concerns of their agencies, offices, and personnel including complaints brought before them.

"There are many programs that the various offices are offering but the problem is only a handful of residents know," the Mayor said.

He said this is a better way of bringing these programs closer to the people because, in the end, "we will have a working government and an informed citizenry."

Among the municipal officials who joined Mayor Jajalla in the holding of the P-day in Owakan are Vice Mayor Rogerio C. Acle, Municipal Councilors Rey Lawrence K. Tan and Kaiser A. Abao and Barangay Chair Nestor Loor, among others.

Aside from LGU offices, other government agencies who also offered their services were Department of Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Fire Protection, Social Security System, Provincial Agriculture Office, Provincial Veterinary Office, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), among others.

The next P-day will serve barangay Tupsan Pequeno, October 26.

Mahinog joins 110th anniversary celebration of Philippine Civil Service

IN the light of celebrating the 110th Anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service, the Municipal Government of Mahinog joined the "race" in promoting the integrity and efficiency of the civil service.

This as the anniversary theme of the celebration is “In R.A.C.E to Serve: Advancing Responsive, Accessible, Courteous and Effective Public Service”.

Every September, government employees nationwide commemorate the establishment of the civil service system in 1900 by Public Law No. 5, An Act for the Establishment and Maintenance of Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the Philippine Island.

Mayor Alex R. Jajalla enjoined LGU workers to follow the four ideals embodied in the acronym “RACE” to win the race for excellence in public service.

To show public service at its best, the municipal government last week launched anew its People's Day Program in barangay San Jose as part of the "RACE" program of the municipality that aims to bring the government closer to the people.

The People's Day Program is a year round outreach program that features a one stop shop of frontline services, an action center where queries, complaints and feedbacks can be entertained and immediately acted upon and an information center where agencies can disseminate their key programs.

Related story: LGU Mahinog holds People's Day in barangay San Jose http://mahinogcamiguin.blogspot.com/2010/09/lgu-mahinog-holds-peoples-day-in.html

LGU VISITATION. Myriam S. Daaca, OIC Civil Service Commission Camiguin Field Office, 4th from left, together with the members of the Provincial Council of Personnel Officers (PCPO) Camiguin Chapter, discuss with Mayor Alex R. Jajalla, 5th from left, new issuances on strengthening the civil service during an LGU visit in Mahinog September 21, 2010 in celebration of the 110th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary. From left to right: Marina C. Gayramon, HRMO of DepEd Camiguin, Luz O. Babanto, HRMO designate of LGU Mahinog, Myriam Daaca, Mayor Jajalla, Teresita P. Naybe, Administrative Officer II of DENR, Gemma V. Lim, HRMO II of Camiguin General Hospital, Rita C. Abuzo, HRMO II of the Provincial Governor's Office and Homer C. Chan, AA VI of Camiguin Civil Service Field Office. (Photo by Homer R. Jajalla)

LGU honors retired employees

THE local government unit of Mahinog honored on Friday five employees who recently retired after years of dedicated service to the municipality in simple ceremonies and party at LGU-run Queobe Eco Park and Training Center.

Apolinaria A. Babanto, Deodora A. Lim, Nerio Y. Galochino, Leoncio Somobay and Misael R. Jajalla received the LGU's Achievement Award in sincere appreciation of their years of outstanding dedication and service to the Municipal Government of Mahinog.

Apolinaria A. Babanto served in the government for more than four decades. She started as public school teacher in 1966 before she was appointed as municipal budget officer in 1981, the position she held from 1981 until she retired on July 27, 2010. She completed the mandatory retirement at age 65.

Deodoria A. Lim started in the municipal government in 1971 as barangay clerk, civil registry clerk, bookkeeper until she became assistant municipal treasurer from 2004 until she retired on March 31, 2010. She retired after 39-years of service to the municipality.

Nerio Y. Galochino served as municipal secretary from 1986-87. He served as sanggunian bayan (SB) member from 1992-1995, then elected as vice mayor from 1995-2001. He served again as SB member from 2001 until his retirement last June 30, 2010. He completed his full three terms as SB member.

Leoncio P. Somobay, before entering in politics, began his public career as police officer. He served as SB member from 2004 until June 30, 2010.

Misael R. Jajalla, after 21-years of service retired due to physical disability. He served as barangay kagawad in Poblacion from 1989-99. He was in the police service from 1991-92. In 1992 he entered in the municipal government as office aide, then human resource management aide until he became administrative officer from 2005 until he retired on March 31, 2010.

Municipal employees thank local officials for extra benefits

THE 62 regular and casual municipal government personnel here will receive a whopping P 30,000 each as an additional Christmas bonus.

Even the 31 job order workers have the reason to be happy these holidays as they will also be given P 6,000 each while the 11 honorarium-based personnel will also get P1,000 additional cash gifts.

This is aside from P1, 000 worth of grocery items to be given to each of the 104 municipal government workers.

This after the Municipal Council presided by Vice Mayor Rogerio C. Acle approved on Monday the release of P2.3 M extra cash gifts to the very grateful municipal hall employees.

Mayor Alex Jajalla thanked the municipal council for giving him the authority to grant additional bonus to every employee to recognize their valuable contributions in public service and augment their economic conditions.

“As far as our local government unit is concerned, the P30,000 is the highest amount of cash gift ever given to a permanent and casual employee,” the mayor said.

The chief executive, however, reminded his fellow public servants to be ever productive and dedicated in performing their public duty.

Municipal Budget Officer Apolinaria A. Babanto said that the amount for the granting of extra bonus to the municipal government’s workforce will come from local savings.

Mrs. Neolida P. Salon, Mahinog Union of Municipal Employees (MUME)President, conveyed on behalf of fellow workers their sincerest thanks to Mayor Jajalla, Vice Mayor Acle, members of the Municipal Council and the Local Finance Committee for granting P 30, 000 additional cash gift to every employee.

She said this is the first time that local government workers will be receiving such a huge amount of cash gift from the municipal government.

“This amount is a big help to us and our families in celebrating the Christmas season,” Salon said.

Congress approves salary hike of local government workers starting January 1, 2010

by Homer R. Jajalla

THE BICAMERAL conference committee approved Monday the reconciled version of the House and Senate bills upgrading the salaries of all 1.1 million government workers effective July 1, 2009.

The measure also authorizes local governments to upgrade their salary grades, salary rates, grant of allowances, benefits and incentives starting January 1, 2010.

First class cities can increase the pay of their officials by 100 percent and first class municipalities, by 90 percent.

On the other hand, sixth class cities and towns can have a higher pay of their officials and employees by not more than 75 percent and 65 percent, respectively.

Under the new salary hike scheme, all bonuses should now be based on performance and not on savings. The so-called year-end bonus is also scrapped.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate panel, said this provision would correct the ongoing “anomaly” where government agencies misdeclare some funds as “savings” to be distributed to employees as bonuses.

“From now on, bonuses will be given only for exemplary work of government employees,” he stressed. (Mahinog Municipal Information Office)

LOCAL UNION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES HAILS PASSAGE OF GOV’T PAY STANDARDIZATION LAW

by Homer R. Jajalla

LOCAL GOVERNMENT employees here today welcomed the passage in Congress Joint Resolution 26 otherwise known as Salary Standardization Law (SSL-3) that would upgrade the compensation of low-level employees up to the top positions in government effective July 1.

Mahinog Union of Municipal Employees (MUME) President Neolida P. Salon welcomed this development on behalf of local government employees who stand to be benefited by the salary hike which could help low-level employees soften the effects of the economic slow down.

“This will bring economic benefits for all of us to be able to go through these difficult times,” the employees union president said.

She admitted though it is not yet clear how this salary standardization law is going to be implemented in local government units.

Local officials here have yet to await for the implementing guidelines from the Department of Budget on the matter.

President Gloria Macapacal Arroyo earlier certified this measure as urgent and made sure it will be passed and implemented before her term expires in 2010 as part of the Philippine government’s economic intervention policy to combat the global recession.

The timely implementation of SSL-3 will help the economy at this time of global economic crisis and perk up the economy through spending, a Malacanang press statement said.

It added that the salary standardization will be implemented in four yearly tranches starting in July 1, 2009 until 2013. (Mahinog Municipal Information Office)