Archival: No funding shortage amid delayed JO salaries

Local

CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival has denied that funding shortages were behind delays in the salaries of hundreds of job order (JO) workers.

The mayor said the problem stemmed largely from the late submission of required accomplishment reports.

In his recent press conference, Archival said the city government already has the budget to cover the workers’ compensation and that payroll processing is delayed when supporting documents are submitted beyond the prescribed deadlines.

“Wala ta nagkulang. Naa na ang budget. The moment the paper is complete, mahatag man gyud na,” Archival said.

The mayor explained that JO workers are required to submit accomplishment reports covering their work from the first to the 15th day of the month.

However, he said many personnel wait until the payroll deadline before preparing and submitting the documents.

According to Archival, delays by even a single employee can slow down the processing of an entire batch of payroll documents.

“Ang kadaghanan man gud dili maghimo og report. Anha na maghimo sa petsa 15 o 30. The moment mahimo na, kung naa gani usa nga ma-delay, huwaton man na,” he said.

Archival stressed that the delays should not be attributed to the City Budget Office, City Accounting Office, or City Treasurer’s Office.

“Dili ni fault sa department, sa budget, accounting, o treasury. Ang fault naa gyud sa ilang kaugalingon ug sa pag-follow sa proseso,” he said.

To address recurring delays, the mayor said the city government has developed templates that JO workers can accomplish daily alongside their regular duties, which he expects will speed up payroll processing in the coming months.

“Ato seguraduhon nga sa sunod nga mga buwan, mas maasikaso na ni,” he added.

The mayor’s remarks come months after concerns were raised over delayed salaries affecting hundreds of JO personnel at Cebu City Hall.

Earlier reports showed that at least 956 JO workers had not received wages covering January to March 2026, while some employees were still awaiting back pay dating to October 2025.

Councilor Harold Kendrick Go previously disclosed that delays in the submission and approval of appointments contributed to the non-release of salaries.

“January hangtod March walay sweldo ang 956 ka job order personnel. Karon pa gi-submit ilang appointment sa konseho,” Go said in an earlier statement.

The issue was further complicated by the city government’s strict implementation of its “no appointment, no work” policy, which bars personnel from rendering service and receiving compensation without approved appointments.

Under the policy, salaries paid for services rendered without formal appointments may become the personal liability of approving officials, in accordance with civil service regulations.

The Cebu City Council earlier passed a resolution urging the executive department and concerned offices to expedite the processing and release of unpaid salaries and honoraria.

The council also initiated inquiries into possible bottlenecks in payroll processing and coordination among city departments to determine accountability and prevent similar delays in the future.(TGP)