Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) — Cebu City Hall employees will receive a ₱20,000 Christmas bonus this year — but only if all of them have received their COVID-19 vaccine.
“Bonus will be granted for all… But as I’ve said…no release of bonus unless all have been fully vaccinated,” acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama announced on Monday.
Rama explained there is a need for such policy to set themselves as an example for their citizens as government employees.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, head of the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), supported Rama’s new directive.
The mayor said the bonus is on top of the 13-month pay and is a prerogative of the City Government to grant or not to grant.
This is also seen to further boost the local government’s vaccination program that is still around 40% of the target population, he noted.
Cebu City has fully vaccinated around 290,000 residents out of the more than 700,000 target population qualified for the vaccine.
According to latest government data, the city has a total of 43,023 COVID-19 cases, of which 244 are currently ill patients. More than 41,000 patients recovered, while over 1,300 died.
