Under the proposal, qualified JO, casual, and COS workers who have rendered at least four months of service until December 15, 2024, will each receive a ₱7,000 gratuity, as mandated under Circular 2024-8.
City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said the budget measure has already undergone scrutiny in the council and is set for approval on third and final reading before being transmitted to Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte for signing.
Dayanghirang explained that all JO, casual, and COS employees were supposed to receive the same ₱7,000 gratuity last year, in line with a memorandum issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. However, the city government decided against implementing it after receiving the directive too late in the year, to avoid suspicions of using the payout for political purposes ahead of the May 2025 elections.
Once approved and signed into law, the ₱916-million supplemental budget is expected to provide much-needed financial relief to the city’s JO, casual, and COS workers while strengthening Davao City’s social, educational, and environmental services.