Reduced Processing of Salaries at Mandaue City Hall
In a significant move towards transparency and efficiency, the City of Mandaue has implemented a series of reforms to expedite the salary disbursement process for Job Order (JO) and Contract of Service (COS) workers. These changes have effectively ended the practice of substantial delays, which previously saw workers waiting two to four months for their salaries.
The key changes include streamlining internal processes across the city's 25 departments, the implementation of an ATM-based payroll system, and the use of biometric attendance monitoring. These reforms have allowed salaries to be released within five working days after the month ends, a marked improvement from previous delays of one to two months for JO workers and up to four months for COS workers.
The streamlined internal processes and full cooperation among the city's departments have enabled more efficient payroll handling, reducing bureaucratic delay. The ATM-based payroll system, which replaced the manual, voucher-based system, requires all JO employees to open bank accounts, enabling direct deposit of salaries. Biometric attendance monitoring improves the accuracy and verification of work attendance, speeding up payroll approval and reducing payroll processing errors.
Mayor Thadeo "Jonkie" Ouano, who took office on July 1, prioritised resolving the backlog of unpaid salaries by addressing the issue promptly. Upon taking office, he instructed the departments to find practical ways to shorten the process. The remaining backlog, mostly from the previous administration, is now on its final processing stages.
One of the first changes implemented was scrapping the old practice of allowing one employee to collect salaries on behalf of others. Now, each worker is required to personally claim their pay, ensuring transparency and accountability. The administration is also requiring all City Hall employees to open ATM accounts by September for direct salary deposits, removing manual cash distribution and minimising the risk of delays.
City Administrator Sally Malig-on revealed that upon taking office on July 1, he still had to sign salary releases dating back to February, March, April, and May. These have since been released. Malig-on added that the shift in payroll processing is part of the administration's broader push to improve efficiency in City Hall operations.
Mayor Ouano praised all departments for their full cooperation in achieving the faster release of salaries. He announced that salaries for the July 1-31 period were released within five working days. Ouano stated that this exploitative practice left many workers with little to take home despite months of work. He credited the improvement to the close coordination between the accounting and legal offices.
In addition, a "payroll group" was created, which gathers all payroll makers and representatives from each department, along with accounting staff, in a single room to finalise payrolls together. This approach has sped up the payroll process significantly.
By August 12, salaries for workers in most city departments were paid promptly for July, demonstrating the effectiveness of these reforms. The City has also been cracking down on loan sharks operating within City Hall, who previously took cuts from employees' salaries in repayment of debts. These measures mark a turnaround from the previous delays, which had seen JOs and COS waiting several weeks to months for their salaries.
