BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Employees of the provincial government of Negros Occidental can expect to receive a salary hike in 2022, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson disclosed yesterday.
“Whatever is due to our government employees, of course, we will give it,” Lacson said.
While they have not discussed yet the bonuses for Capitol employees, he stressed “what is available to be given as bonuses, we will give it”.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental has proposed a P5.7 billion budget for 2022, an increase of P1.3 billion, compared to the 2021 budget, which also triggered by the hike in the National Tax Allocation, previously known as the Internal Revenue Allotment, of the province, estimated by Lacson at P1.4 billion.
Lacson, in his letter to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental, said that P1,752,715,730, or 30.65 percent of the proposed total budget, has been earmarked for personnel services of various Capitol offices for 2022.
The Personal Services budget includes also revisions in the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the provincial government, such as proposal to create the Provincial Information Division (PID) under the Office of the Governor and placing under its supervision personnel from the Information Section and Negros Occidental Investment and Promotion; transfer of personnel from Vicente Gustilo Memorial and District Hospital as well as that of Calatrava District Hospital to the different provincial-managed hospitals, and those from Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology to Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Care Program and Provincial Health Office.
In addition, Lacson said that the implementation of the second tranche salary adjustment per Local Budget Circular No. 132 dated January 6 this year of the Department of Budget, the upgrading of Nurse 2 positions from Salary Grade 15 to Salary Grade 16, and the grant of Performance Enhancement Incentive in the amount of P5,000 per personnel are correspondingly provided for, as well as the step-increment of regular and co-terminus personnel, including elective officials.
For the 2nd year now, Lacson reported that appropriation for Personnel Services (PS) did not exceed the 45 percent PS limitation.
The increase in MOOE (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses) under the General Services Public Sector is due to the increased allocation in the other professional services under the Office of the Governor for the hiring of personnel under Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order in addition to our existing COS and Jos being assigned in various offices, hospitals and quarantine facilities to augment the current workforce, especially in emergency situations and the containment of COVID-19.*
