Basilan provincial gov't employees gets "Ramadhan bonus"

COTABATO CITY --- The provincial government of Basilan released a P5,000 Ramadhan bonus for each employee, their fourth since 2016 and something past administrations never did.

Ranking employees, among them division chiefs under the office of Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman told reporters Friday their bonuses were released early this week.

The grant of the yearly Ramadhan bonus to employees of the provincial government, among them 631 permanent staff members and a number of contractual and job order workers was never done by past governors.

Salliman, now in his second term as governor, said Friday the Ramadhan bonus is partly an acknowledgement of the continuing involvement of his subordinates in the provincial government’s coronavirus containment initiatives.

“Most of all, it’s about Islamic gift-giving spirit during the Ramadhan, a holy month in Islam. Muslims and Christian employees of the provincial government each received a Ramadhan bonus,” Salliman said.

Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during the Ramadhan that lasts for one lunar cycle, or from 29 to 30 days.

They also focus on good deeds, reparation for wrongdoings and reconciliation during the Ramadhan, a holy month in Islam.

Fasting during the Ramadhan, one of the 12 months in the lunar-based Islamic Hijrah calendar, is among the five “pillars” of Islam, which include belief in Allah, praying five times a day facing west, giving of “zakat,” or alms to the poor, and, for the financially capable, performing the hajj, or pilgrimage, to Makkah in Saudia Arabia at least once in a lifetime.

Salliman said he is grateful to employees for the provincial government for their dedication in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Basilan.

Basilan, a component-province of the Bangsamoro region, covers 11 municipalities and more than 40 barangays in its capital, Lamitan City.

“I have asked my subordinates in the provincial government and all of my Muslim constituents observing the Ramadhan to pray for an end to this COVID-19 crisis. I also have the same appeal to my Christian constituents,” Salliman said.

Salliman, citing reports from their provincial health office, said they still have no COVID-19 case since he declared a province-wide health emergency last month.

“Credit has to go to our provincial and municipal frontliners, among them personnel of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he said.

Basilan is now under “general community quarantine,” according to Salliman.