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Paldong paldo! Isko Moreno announces ₱648.8M in cash aid, incentives for PLM and UdM students, LGU workers, health personnel

Paldong paldo! Isko Moreno announces ₱648.8M in cash aid, incentives for PLM and UdM students, LGU workers, health personnel
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The situation, in brief

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso on Monday, December 15, announced the release of ₱648.84 million in cash assistance, benefits, and incentives covering students, city employees, health workers, and contract personnel during the flag-raising ceremony at Manila City Hall. Before…

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso on Monday, December 15, announced the release of ₱648.84 million in cash assistance, benefits, and incentives covering students, city employees, health workers, and contract personnel during the flag-raising ceremony at Manila City Hall.

Before detailing the releases, Domagoso expressed his gratitude to the city’s taxpayers and businesses for supporting the local government’s programs.

“Itong ₱648 million saan galing? Gusto ko lang ipaliwanag sa inyo ng konti. Sa mga nagbabayad ng buwis. Kaya ako naman, buong kababaang-loob, nakikiusap ako sa bawat isa sa inyo: kapag may taxpayer tayong kausap o mamamayan na ating pinaglilingkuran, pakitunguhan niyo naman ng maayos dahil ang buhay natin ay nakasalalay sa pagtitiwala nila na ibigay ang kanilang hard-earned money upang ibayad bilang obligasyon sa Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Maynila,” the Mayor said.

Domagoso announced ₱302.18 million in incentives for permanent city employees—including co-terminous employees and elected officials—covering retroactive salary adjustments under the second tranche of the Salary Standardization Law, as well as medical, productivity, and service recognition incentives.

Eligible personnel will receive a ₱7,000 medical allowance, a ₱5,000 Productivity Enhancement Incentive, and a ₱10,000 Service Recognition Incentive, with releases scheduled from December 15 to 23.

Job order and contract of service workers will receive ₱66 million in gratuity pay, with each eligible worker set to receive ₱7,000, the Mayor said.

“Ipinagpapasalamat natin ito kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos. Inaantabayanan ko ‘yung kanyang announcement niya (sa Administrative Order No. 39 at 40). Noong Biyernes, nagawa na ng Administrative Order si President Marcos. Eh ang hindi alam ng Presidente, naggagayak na tayo. Nag-aantay na lang tayo ng go signal niya. So palakpakan natin si President Marcos,” he said.

For health workers, the City will release ₱128.13 million in PhilHealth professional shares for personnel of Manila’s public hospitals and the Manila Health Department, covering collections from July to November 2025.

The Mayor also said ₱100 million in PhilHealth additional sharing from previously undistributed collections, benefiting medical, non-medical, barangay health workers, nutrition scholars, and support personnel.

Under the College Student Assistance Program, the city will distribute ₱46.03 million to 18,235 students of Universidad de Manila and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, with allowances covering academic months from July to September 2025.

An additional ₱6.5 million will be released under the College Subsidy Program for the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST), covering the third quarter of 2025.

“Pwede bang makisuyo? ‘Yung pinakamalakas at mainit ninyong pasasalamat sa ating mga taxpayer. Palakpakan natin sila. I cannot do it alone. In fact, I didn’t pay for it. My son paid me by the home, but they did it. They did it for us to have what we’re going to have in the coming days and what we’re having every 15th and 30th of the month. That is because of them,” he said.

In November, Domagoso ordered the release of ₱317 million in year-end bonuses and cash gifts for regular City Hall employees, and announced ₱22.3 million in allowances for Manila prosecutors and judges and

The Mayor had also announced the release of ₱243.4 million in social assistance for persons with disabilities, solo parents, and DSWD-listed senior citizens, alongside more than ₱143 million in long-delayed funds for Manila’s 896 barangays covering clearance shares, development funds, and real property tax entitlements.

He also led the rollout of the city’s “One Smart TV = One Classroom” program, which involved the distribution of 397 laptops and 133 Smart TVs to 72 public elementary schools using ₱143 million realigned from the 2025 Special Education Fund.

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