Cebu City (PNA) — Cebu City’s mayor, vice mayor, councilors and some 6,000 employees will get a 25-percent salary increase starting this month.

The salary increase will cost the Cebu City Government another P98 million this year. The amount is included in the proposed P483.8-million supplemental budget (SB) 2 which the City Council is set to approve. From P34,939, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s salary will increase to P45,941, while Vice Mayor Michael Rama’s pay will go up to P39,026 from P29,474. The councilors’ salary will also increase from P28,340 to P36,923. The increase is retroactive Jan. 1 this year.

“Under the budget circular, the salary increase will take effect on Jan. 1, 2010. So as soon as the budget is approved, all employees, including the mayor, will collect their salary differential,” said lawyer Ralph Sevilla, head of the Human Resource Development Office (HRDO). Local Budget Circular 2009-92 is the implementing guidelines of the first tranche of the salary increase for government officials and employees approved by President Arroyo in June last year. It prescribes a 100-percent salary increase spread over a four-year period, subject to the availability of funds.

Technology Center to Rise in Bacolod

Bacolod City — By virtue of City Ordinance No. 513, the Bacolod City government will soon create the Bacolod City Technology and Livelihood Development Center. This is in compliance with a memorandum circular issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) encouraging local government units to establish technology and development centers in their locality.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia believes the creativity of Bacoleños can enable them to compete with the rest of the world if given ample training and support. Among the Center’s important functions are to identify, promote, and disseminate various income-generating skills, and to assist all other city cooperatives in the city in their livelihood and skills endeavors. (Edith B. Colmo)

Common Area for Campaign Posters Designated

Dumaguete City (PNA) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Oriental will be coming up with the final list of designated common political poster areas in the province in time for the February 9 start of the campaign period for national political candidates. Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Eddie Aba said he directed two weeks ago the election officers of Negros Oriental’s 20 towns and five cities to identify and list down their respective common poster areas with a minimum of at least one per barangay. Aba stressed, though, that there can be more than one Comelec-designated poster area in the barangay as long as these will not cause public disturbance.

He also warned that candidates must remove their propaganda materials put up in random public places prior to the start of the campaign period to avoid being charged with violating provisions of the Omnibus Election Code. While the rule on premature campaigning no longer applies today, Aba explained that political bets can still be held liable for putting up campaign materials to bolster their electoral bids in places other than the Comelec common poster areas.