The Iloilo City Government has allocated P 47.3 million for the cash gift or Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) of 1,576 regular City Hall employees which will be released on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.

Of the said amount, P 17 million came from the Personal Services (PS) fund while the remaining amount came from salary savings, clothing allowances and vacant positions, among others.

Each regular employee will receive P 30,000, on top of the 13th month pay (equivalent to one-month salary) and P 5,000 cash gift.

A reliable source who prefers not to be named, said the cash gift will not exceed the 45 percent cap for PS that the Department of Budget and Management requires.

Source said they have carefully followed the guidelines set by the DBM in releasing the PEI.

“We have followed everything. So a possible refund is impossible,” the source said.

Part of the amount intended for PEI was earmarked from the General Fund under Supplemental Budget No. 9 amounting to P 99.2-million which was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) last Dec. 5, 2012.

Earlier, DBM regional director Alfonso Bedonia said government workers can expect the PEI as soon as they release the agency’s new guidelines for this year.

As a general rule, workers in line agencies such the DBM can receive not more than P10,000 cash gift while those who work for the local government units may receive a higher amount depending on their budget savings.*