Duterte approves P5,000 gratuity pay for contract, JO workers
CONTRACT of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers who have rendered at least four-month service in government are set to receive not more than P5,000 gratuity pay.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Wednesday, December 29, Administrative Order (AO) 46, which states that granting a year-end gratuity pay is a “well-deserved recognition” of the COS and JO workers’ hard word in helping the government implement its programs, projects and activities.
Duterte recognized that COS and JO workers do not enjoy benefits accorded to regular government employees as they have no employer-employee relationship with the government.
He stressed though in AO 46 that the order will only cover workers whose services are directly engaged through COS and JO by national government agencies (NGAs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), and local water districts.
Those who have rendered less than four months of actual service and whose contracts are still effective may also be granted the one-time gratuity pay, but on a pro rata basis, as follows:
- P4,000 — 3 months or more but less than 4 months
- P3,000 — 2 months or more but less than 3 months
- P2,000 — Less than 2 months
Duterte directed the local government units to adopt in their respective offices the gratuity pay grant to COS and JO workers.
He said in the AO 46 that the corresponding supplemental budget for the grant must be enacted by the local council within Fiscal Year 2021.
For NGAs and SUCs, the funds needed should be charged against their respective available Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) allotment for the same program. In case of deficiency, the agencies may modify the allotment issued.
For GOCCs and local water districts, the funds will be taken from their respective approved corporate operating budgets. (LMY)
