This after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 3, which aims to recognize the contribution of these workers in public service.
He explained the need for the issuance: these workers do not enjoy benefits accorded to regular public sector employees since they have no employer-employee relationship with the government.
“Granting a year-end gratuity pay to COS and JO workers is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work in implementing programs, projects and activities and pivotal role in the delivery of government services amid the ongoing Covid-19 (novel coronavirus disease) pandemic and present socio-economic challenge,” said the three-page AO 3.
Under the issuance, COSs and JOs who have rendered service for a total or an aggregate of at least 4 four months of actual satisfactory performance of service as of December 15, 2022 and whose contracts are still effective as of the same date will qualify for the one-time gratuity pay not exceeding P5,000.
Those who have rendered less than four months of actual satisfactory performance of service may be given the benefit on a pro-rata basis: an amount not exceeding P4,000 for three months but less than four months; an amount not exceeding P3,000 for those who have rendered two months but less than three months; and an amount not exceeding P2,000 for those who have rendered less than two months.
AO 3 will apply to COS and JO of national government agencies (NGAs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local water districts (LWD).
These government offices may use their respective maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) allotment and savings in line with the rules of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
“As may be necessary, the DBM shall issue supplemental guidelines for the effective implementation of this Order,” Marcos said.
He urged local government units (LGUs) to provide a similar gratuity pay to their COS and JO workers.
As of June, 30, 2022, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) reported there are 493,943 JOs and 148,134 COSs in the government.
Around 76 percent or 487,149 of these workers are in LGUs followed by NGAs with 107,419.
The rest are in SUCs (22,937), GOCCs (17,979), and LWD (6,593).