The city government of Bacolod is set to release P41.5 million in hazard pay and special risk allowance for employees who rendered frontline and other essential services during the 47-day enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
During its regular session recently, the City Council presided by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran unanimously approved the appropriation for the fund requested by Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
“This is a form of saying thank you to our frontliners and employees who rendered work during ECQ.”
“This is a form of saying thank you to our frontliners and employees who rendered work during the ECQ. They are our heroes during these trying times,” Leonardia said.
In Bacolod, the ECQ was initially set from March 30 to April 30, but the city government requested a 15-day extension until May 15, which was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
The amount of P41.5 million has been reverted and re-appropriated from the salary savings for vacant positions from January 1 to May 31. It includes P37.6 million for hazard pay and P3.9 million for special risk allowance.
“Each qualified personnel will receive maximum hazard pay of P350 per day.”
City Budget Officer Ma. Imelda Williams said each qualified personnel will receive maximum hazard pay of P350 per day for the number of days they rendered service during the ECQ.
Entitled to receive these incentives are regular employees, job order workers, and contractual employees.
Williams said personnel receiving “regular” hazard pay may opt to avail of the COVID-19 hazard pay, or can avail whichever is higher.
Meanwhile, each qualified personnel will receive a one-time special risk allowance, which is equivalent to a maximum of 25 percent of their monthly basic pay, she said.
A pro-rated computation of the special risk allowance is provided in the budget circular issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Since May 16, Bacolod has been placed under modified general community quarantine.
Bacolod has recorded more than 332 COVID-19 cases, including eight deaths.