CEBU. Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has attributed the salary delays affecting nearly 1,000 job order (JO) workers to incomplete documents and late submissions of mandatory accomplishment reports. The mayor assured that funds are available and payments will be released once requirements are met.
Root Causes of Delays
In a statement, Archival explained that the City Government has sufficient budget to cover the workers' compensation. However, payroll processing is often delayed when required documents are submitted late or remain incomplete. He emphasized that City Hall has allocated funds and is ready to release payments as soon as all documentary requirements are fulfilled.
"We have not fallen short. The budget is already available. The moment all the required documents are complete, the funds will be released," he said.
The mayor addressed concerns raised over the plight of at least 956 JO workers who reportedly went without salaries from January to March 2026, with some still awaiting payments dating back to October 2025. According to Archival, accomplishment reports, which are required before salaries can be processed, are often submitted at the last minute. Employees are expected to prepare their reports during the first half of the pay period, from the first to the 15th day, but many fail to do so and only begin working on their reports on the deadline.
Archival noted that payroll processing can be delayed when even one worker fails to complete the required documents on time, as salary releases are often processed in batches. A single incomplete record could hold up the processing of an entire group of employees.
Impact on Families
The issue came to light after City Councilor Harold Kendrick Go disclosed that 956 JO workers had not received their salaries for the first three months of 2026. Records presented before the City Council also showed that some workers were still waiting for compensation for services rendered as early as October. The reported backlog prompted the City Council to seek explanations from concerned offices and call for the immediate release of unpaid salaries and honoraria.
Go earlier warned that the prolonged delay had affected hundreds of households dependent on the workers' income. "A total of 956 families have been affected. This should not be delayed, especially by the government," he said.
Measures to Streamline Payroll
While acknowledging existing bottlenecks, Archival said the City has begun implementing measures to speed up payroll processing. Departments have started preparing templates and handling documentation on a daily basis to prevent paperwork from piling up.
"Now, during the second half of the period, if there are any delays, they will be minimal because job order workers are already preparing their accomplishment report templates daily alongside their regular duties," he said.
The mayor expressed optimism that salary releases would improve in the coming months as departments streamline procedures and workers become more familiar with documentary requirements. The Human Resource Development Office earlier said some JO workers have already received salaries covering the January-to-March period, while additional releases are expected once the remaining requirements are completed and processed.
