CHRISTMAS comes early to some 11,000 employees of the Manila City Hall.

This, after Mayor Alfredo S. Lim ordered the immediate and early release of their Christmas bonus and other cash benefits due them.

At the regular flag-raising ceremony held in City Hall and attended by city officials headed by chief of staff and media bureau chief Ric De Guzman and city administrator Jesus Mari Marzan,  other city department heads, city-run hospital directors Dr. Ted Martin, Dr. Jun Cando, Dr. Marlon Millares, Dr. Mario Lato and Dr. Edwin Perez and city employees, Lim announced that come first week of December, the city will start releasing the employees’ Christmas bonus, which actually represents half of the mandated 13th month pay and other cash benefits.

Simultaneously, Lim directed Marissa De Guzman, officer-in-charge of the city treasurer’s office, to expedite the processing of the payroll for the Christmas bonus and half of the annual cash gift and to release the same without any delay. 

Thus, he said, the salary increase effective January 1, 2011 will be given early December to allow the city employees more time to do their Christmas shopping.

“I am exhorting and appealing to each and every one of you to please do what is expected from each and every one of us, from the mayor down to the janitor, to render what is due to the public.  This is one way of demonstrating the local government employees’ dedication to government service,” Lim said.