By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Employees of Iloilo City Hall can expect faster salary releases after the Iloilo City Council approved 20 new regular positions dedicated to payroll management.
During its regular session on Wednesday, August 14, the City Council approved the creation of 20 new positions in the Personnel Information and Payroll System Management Office (PIPSMO).
Currently staffed by six personnel, the PIPSMO is responsible for managing payroll, leave data, and personnel information for all city government employees.
The addition of these positions aims to streamline payroll processes for over 2,000 regular city employees, ensuring efficient operation through a secure and automated electronic system.
Previously, the Human Resource and Management Office handled personnel information and payroll management tasks.
City Mayor Jerry Treñas, under whose office the PIPSMO operates, requested the creation of the additional positions.
Councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia, chairman of the Committee on Good Government, emphasized the necessity of these positions to streamline payroll processing for regular city employees.
Councilor Urminico Baronda advised that the city’s finances should be reviewed to ensure the implementation of Republic Act No. 11466, or the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) of 2019, which has yet to be applied to city employees’ salaries.
Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna expressed optimism that the additional positions would expedite payroll processing, particularly for job hires and Contract of Service workers, who frequently experience delays.
Earlier in July, Andrew Murray Durano, an administrative assistant at the Office of the City Veterinarian, wrote to the mayor regarding the unpaid salary increase back pay for permanent city government employees, as required by the SSL.
“I believe the Iloilo City Government still owes 12 months of salary increase back pay to its permanent employees,” Durano said.
“Given your commitment to the welfare and well-being of our city’s government employees, I believe this matter might have been inadvertently overlooked,” he added.
