Around 14,000 personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Bohol will be receiving up to P10,000 in incentive bonus in time for the Christmas break.

This was confirmed on Friday by Desiderio Deligero, chief of DepEd Bohol’s School Governance and Operations Division.

The confirmation came after DepEd spokesperson Annalyn M. Sevilla said that the one-time Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) will be given to qualified personnel of the department nationwide starting December 20, 2019, as stipulated in Administrative Order No. 19.

According to Deligero, the SRI will cover teaching, teaching-related and non-teaching personnel.

The P7,000 of the SRI will be from a funding source in the General Appropriations Act while the remaining P3,000 will be from the personal services (PS) allotment of the DepEd.

“Gagama na mi og payroll pero ang P7,000 pa kay ang P3,000 ana mura’g ani kuno sa savings sa division namo pero wa pa mi ka-declare sa among savings,” he said.

AO 19, which covers other agencies as well, stipulates that “In the event that the available released PS allotments are insufficient to fully cover the remaining P3,000 per employee, a lower but uniform amount shall be paid to all qualified employees of that agency.”

The P7,000 is expected to be released starting December 20 while the remaining amount will be available on a later date, said Deligero.

The local DepEd official expressed elation over the development which was set in motion after President Duterte signed the AO on December 2.

“Dakong kalipay namo kay mao man nay gi-signan ni President Duterte para sa mga taga DepEd,” he said.

The incentive will be given to DepEd employees on top of their mid-year and yearend bonuses which they received last summer and in November, respectively. (R. Tutas)