MANILA – The Makati City government is set to provide a PHP3,000 cash bonus to each of its 7,310 city hall employees, Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay announced Thursday.
Binay said about 3,425 regular employees, 3,876 casual workers, and nine contractual employees will receive an anniversary bonus on Monday (June 22), which marks the 350th Araw ng Makati foundation day.
In a Facebook post, Binay said all regular, casual and contractual employees of city hall are entitled to the bonus for being the local government's reliable partners in delivering social services to Makati residents.
“This is our simple way of giving back to our valued employees who have been our reliable partners in delivering services to our constituents for the past years," she said.
The scheduled celebration for the Araw ng Makati is canceled due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, she said.
"We appreciate how readily they have responded to the call of duty during this pandemic, putting public welfare before their own," she added.
Binay lauded employees who served the city in the front line amid the health crisis.
“At this time of uncertainty, we give priority to initiatives aimed to help Makatizens, including our city employees, cope well with the challenges brought on by the ongoing crisis,” she said.
Risk allowance, hazard pay
Last April, the city government granted hazard pay and special risk allowance to all qualified city hall front-liners who have reported for duty during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila.
The city government was authorized by the city council through Ordinance No. 2020-092 to allocate some PHP124,453 to fund the hazard pay and special risk allowances for the front-liners.
Binay said the cash benefit was extended to regular, casual, and contractual personnel of the city government who were exposed to great danger.
She added that the occupational risk, perils of life, and physical hardship were also considered in granting occupational duty risk pay.
Online payment portal
Meanwhile, Makati launched a contactless payment portal allowing business owners and residents to transact online with their business and real property taxes for the first and second quarters.
Binay said the process ensures Makatizens can complete their financial transactions without leaving their homes or office premises.
"The contactless payment system eliminates the need to physically go to City Hall and queue for tax payments," she said Wednesday.
The online payment portal, she added, is part of the local government's preventive measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the city.
"As much as possible, we also want to minimize the number of people going to the City Hall to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” Binay said, adding that the local government will impose more programs in compliance with physical distancing.
"Makati will be implementing more innovations similar to this to ensure the safety and convenience of Makatizens amid the Covid-19 pandemic," she said.
Binay urged Makati residents to visit www.makationlinepayments.com to start their online transactions.
A step-by-step guide is available through the city’s official Facebook page, My Makati.
Residents may also use GCash’s bank transfer feature by sending payments to the city government's bank account number, 003452-1008-85.
On the other hand, business owners and residents who would like to transact on their tax obligations physically at the city hall are only allowed to carry out transactions from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays.
Based on the Department Circular order No. 0202-2020 issued on April 23, the deadlines for the payment of taxes, fees, and charges of local government units are extended until June 25. (PNA)
