THE ordinance granting gratuity benefits to all qualified accredited day care workers and early childhood development workers in Bacolod City was approved by the City Council on its third and final reading.
The ordinance was authored by Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the city council committee on tourism.
Ang said the day care workers and early childhood development workers are the forefront of the city's effort in ensuring that all the children in the city are provided adequate care, protection and education.
She said the City Government and its instrumentalities also recognized the rights of day care workers to organize themselves, to strengthen and systematize their services to the community and to make a venue for sharing their experiences and for recommending policies and guidelines for the promotion, maintenance and advancement of their activities and services.
She added the Bacolod City Government recognizes the critical role provided by the day care workers in nurturing, protecting and educating the city's children, thus it is also fitting and proper to promote and improve the social well-being and economic welfare of day care workers by providing them additional benefit such as retirement assistance.
Section 2 of the ordinance stated that this ordinance shall cover all accredited day care workers who are not holding a permanent position in the City Government of Bacolod and engaged in providing Early Childhood Care and Development Services in a day care center owned or operated by the City Government of Bacolod.
Section 5 of the ordinance also stated that all accredited day care workers, who in the performance of their duties, upon reaching either the optional or mandatory age for end of service in accordance to the number of years he/she served as such as follows 15 to 24 years will get P1,000 for every year of service; 25 to 34 years, P1,250 for every year of service; and for 35 years and above, P1,500 for every year of service. (MAP)