COS employees receive their ₱3,000 year-end gratuity on Dec. 7, 2021 from the local government here under the leadership of Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr.
ANGELES CITY – Christmas came early for the 2,959 Contract of Service employees who have received their P3,000 year-end gratuity on December 7, 2021 from the city government here under the leadership of Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr.
“This is to honor and recognize the unwavering dedication of our employees in serving the public,” Lazatin said.
Riza Casupanan, a COS employee for 14 years, said that it is only under the stint of Mayor Lazatin that they have received a cash incentive, recognizing their hard work.
“Ramdam niya [ni Mayor Pogi] ang hirap ng mga empleyadong kasama niya sa serbisyo. Kahit COS ka [lang], kilala ka niya, alam niyang nand’yan ka at nagtatrabaho,” Casupanan shared.
Casupanan, 41, a single parent of 3, also mentioned the opportunities being provided by the administration of Mayor Lazatin, such as the benefits in Philhealth, Pag-IBIG, and Social Security System.
“Sa tagal namin sa City Hall, ngayon lang na mayroon [ganito]. Marami kaming natatanggap na incentives. Napakalaki na pong halaga nito kaysa sa noon po na kahit ano ay wala,” Casupanan added.
This is also echoed by a 15-year COS employee named Jherome Manaloto, saying that Mayor Lazatin, just like his father Pampanga First District Representative Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin, prioritizes the employees working behind him.
“Mahal po kami ni Mayor Lazatin, priority niya ang mga empleyado. Masayang-masaya po kami dahil sa tagal ng panahon, may nakapansin din po sa amin,” Manaloto said.
According to Manaloto, this amount will also help his family in celebrating this upcoming holiday season.
Meanwhile, Gilbert David, who has served at the city hall from 2003 to 2007; and 2017 to present, said in the time of Mayor Lazatin, the COS are lucky, having a leader who is looking out for the welfare of all employees, where he also mentioned the 10 kilos of rice subsidy distributed.
“Ngayon lang po nangyari ito, at mapalad po kami dahil inumpisahan po ito ni Mayor Pogi,” he said.
An encoder at the City Accounting Office for 5 years named Jon Carmelo Manalang also cited the initiative of Mayor Lazatin to allot P3,000 incentive for each COS , especially in the face of the pandemic.
“Napakahalaga po [nito] para sa amin, nasu-supplement po ni Mayor Pogi yung mga mabibigat na pangangailangan naming mga empleyado lalo na po ngayong napakahirap dahil may pandemya pa rin. Gumagaan po. Sana tuloy-tuloy pa rin,” Manalang said.
All 13 elected officials in the city; 1,316 permanent, casual, and contractual personnel; and 2,959 COS employees are to receive their 10 kilos of rice subsidy today, Dec. 7, and on Dec. 9.
To recall, Flordeliza Santos, president of the Association of Government Employees for a New Dynamic Angeles City (AGENDA), said that this rice subsidy is unexpected apart from the cash incentives of P3,000 year-end gratuity for 2,959 COS personnel and P17,000 additional benefits for the 1,316 permanent, casual, and contractual workers.
It was in 2020 that all COS employees first received their year-end gratuity of P3,000.
