BACOLOD City – Bacolod City and other local government units (LGUs) are considering appealing to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to reconsider certain provisions of its guidelines on the grant of Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) incentives to government employees for 2026.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said the proposed appeal would seek adjustments to some requirements, particularly the deadline and conditions governing the use of savings as the funding source for the incentives.
He said local officials had discussed the matter over the weekend following concerns that the newly issued guidelines could make it difficult for many LGUs to comply.
The DBM issued Budget Circular No. 2026-1 on November 4, 2026, prescribing the guidelines for granting CNA incentives to qualified government employees for fiscal year 2026.
Under the circular, eligible employees may receive a one-time incentive of up to P30,000, subject to agency performance and the availability of savings. The payment period is scheduled from December 15 to 31, 2026.
Gasataya identified as a major concern the requirement limiting the use of savings to those generated as of September 30, noting that the guidelines were released only in November.
He said the limited preparation period could put LGUs in a difficult position, particularly those that still need to comply with the funding requirements.
The mayor emphasized that the CNA incentive provides additional financial assistance to government employees while potentially stimulating economic activity through increased consumer spending.
He added that the city government had based its preparations on last year’s guidelines, under which the funding source for the incentives had already been identified in advance.
Gasataya said local officials were still determining whether the appeal would be filed collectively through the league of local chief executives or by a group of selected mayors.
However, he said the initiative would most likely involve all LGUs, including provincial and municipal governments.
Gasataya assured that Bacolod has available funds for the incentives but stressed that the city must ensure compliance with the current DBM guidelines before releasing the payments./PN
