Over a thousand workers for the Cebu Provincial Government are poised to receive substantial year-end bonuses, with regular staff potentially getting as much as fifty-five thousand pesos. This festive financial boost was confirmed by Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces last Friday, December 9, 2025.
Bonus Breakdown and Administrative Process
The proposed bonus package is a combination of several incentives. More than 1,000 regular and casual employees are slated to receive a P30,000 holiday bonus, complemented by a P20,000 Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) and a P5,000 Performance-Based Incentive (PBI), bringing the total to P55,000.
For job order personnel, the package totals P15,000, which includes a one-time Gratuity Pay and a service incentive. The funding for these bonuses will be deliberated in a supplemental budget during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan's final session on Monday, December 22, 2025. If approved, the distribution is anticipated to start on or right after Christmas Day.
Ensuring Compliance and Learning from the Past
Empaces emphasized that strict adherence to Civil Service Commission (CSC) requirements was a critical step this year. This comes after the Commission on Audit flagged lapses in document submission during the previous fiscal year.
"The decision was to make sure that the documents complied," Empaces stated. He noted that the necessary paperwork was submitted to the CSC Central Office around the first week of December and discussed with the Peace Employee Association. This proactive measure aims to align with past audit observations and prevent any issues related to the 2025 disbursements.
A Timely Boost for Calamity-Affected Staff
The bonus announcement brings particular relief to employees who faced hardships from recent natural disasters, including the September 30 earthquake and Typhoon Tino on November 4. Empaces highlighted the positive impact, noting that many of the Capitol's nearly 1,000 regular employees were affected.
"They are grateful for this initiative. It's a win-win for everyone, and we hope it brings a proper Christmas celebration," he added.
Administratively, this bonus arrangement falls under a Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) between the Capitol and the Employees Association. Empaces confirmed that the agreement is set for renewal next year under the administration of Governor Pamela Baricuatro. He pointed out that the diligent submission to the Civil Service Commission is part of ensuring proper documentation, a step he indicated was sometimes overlooked in previous administrations.
