- P960-M augmentation budget includes bonus for JOs, contractuals
THE 21ST City Council approved the ₱960 million Supplemental Budget No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2025 during a special session on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
The budget amounting to P960,863,872.27 was sourced from a surplus in 2024 operations amounting to P477,747,942.05, a reversion of current year appropriations amounting to P480,042,280.22, and reversions from prior years (P3,073,650.00) amounting to P483,115,930.22.
According to Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, chair of the committee on finance, ways and means, and appropriations, the City Mayor’s Office received the highest allocation, amounting to ₱708,669,295.03, equivalent to 73.75% of the total.
Dayanghirang said P153.23 million will fund the gratuity pay for personnel hired under Job Order (JO) and Contractual Services.
The one-time gratuity pay for JOs and contractuals is pursuant to the Administrative Order No. 28, Series of 2024, and Local Budget Circular No. 2024-8, dated December 20, 2024.
“This will boost their morale and financial support, emphasizing that in government we really need to work hard,” Dayanghirang said.
He shared that Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte sent them a memo to consider the approval as urgent.
Additionally,₱454,438,928 was reappropriated for the Peace and Order and Public Safety Program due to changes in the city’s priorities.
Other appropriations included were coming from various units under the City Mayor’s Office, including Museo Dabawenyo, the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents, the Integrated Gender and Development Program, the Davao City Office for Culture and the Arts, the City Information Office, and the Sports and Tourism Promotion Program, and augmentations to the current year’s Public Service Enhancement Program and Educational Assistance Program.
Dayanghirang emphasized the educational assistance was allocated a large amount as emphasized by the mayor in his inaugural speech to strengthen support to city scholars.
The educational assistance will include the scholarship on tertiary education program which received P6,125,000; financial assistance for lumads and technical and vocational schools with P1.5 million each; and educational assistance for differently-abled for P1 million.
The second highest allocation went to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office with a budget of ₱132,428,118.16 to augment the Street Orderliness Workers Program as well as garbage collection (hauling services) program.
The remaining amount was distributed among other offices, such as the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the HRMO.
