PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has authorized gratuities for government employees hired under job-order (JO) and contract-of-service (COS) work arrangements for 2019.

Administrative Order (AO) No. 20, dated Jan. 10, was issued in recognition of JO and COS workers, who are not entitled to benefits of regular government employee.

“Granting a year-end Gratuity Pay to JO and COS workers is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work,” the AO read in part.

The grant of the P3,000 gratuity will cover workers, who have rendered at least four months of satisfactory performance and whose contracts are still in effect.

Those who rendered at least three months but less than four months will receive gratuity pay not exceeding P2,000.

Those whose length of service of at least two months, but less than three, will receive up to P1,500; those with tenures less than two months will get up to P1,000.

The AO provides for funding from the maintenance and other operating expense (MOOE) allotment of national government agencies and state universities and colleges; but noted that additional funding may be requested from the Department of Budget and Management.

Meanwhile, government-owned and -controlled corporations will source their funding from operating budgets.

The AO also encouraged local government units to grant gratuities to JO and COS workers. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

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