PROVINCIAL EMPLOYEES RECEIVE PEI BONUS

  
             LINGAYEN --- More than 3,000 provincial employees including casual and contractual workers have received their Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) bonus pursuant to Executive Order No. 181 dated May 15, 2015 from the Office of the President.

            This came following the passage of Supplemental Investment Program No. 3 for CY 2015 as provided for in Provincial Resolution No. 1404-2015 passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) in its regular session last Monday June 22.

            In this resolution, some P24.5 million were allocated for this incentive from the P46,735,500 approved Supplemental Budget No. 3 endorsed to the SP by the Provincial Development Council Execom through Resolution No. 06-15 chaired by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr.

            Provincial Budget Officer Hilaria J. Claveria told board members that the permanent employees are set to receive this week the one-half of their monthly salary. The province has yet to look for other sources for the payment of remaining half in December.

            Likewise, the casual and job order employees including consultants will be receiving P5,000 incentive bonus.

According to Claveria, the fund was sourced out from the reversion of current appropriations from savings on Personal Services and unappropriated surplus.

            On top of the PEI, the provincial employees have already received their mid-year 13th month pay last May.

                       The employees thanked the provincial government for allocating budget for the productivity incentive bonus which according to them was “very timely and very helpful during this enrolment period.”

            Meanwhile, Provincial Accountant Arturo Soriano belied reports that the payment of PEI to the employees came from the excise tax.

            “Magagamit lang ang excise tax sa mga programa para sa tobacco-producing municipalities katulad ng farm-to-market roads, solar drying facilities.  Ito ay para sa ating mga farmers lamang. Kaya walang katotohanan na kumuha ang probinsya sa excise tax para may ibayad sa incentive bonus ng mga empleyado.”  Soriano said.

            Also included in Supplemental Budget No. 3 are the augmentation fund of the operational expenses of some provincial offices, public affairs fund, cultural preservation and incentive awards, and drugs and medicines for hospitals. (Merly Ramos)