The elusive clothing allowance

Egay Uy

SOMEBODY asked me a few months ago: “Who owns the amount given to government employees as clothing or uniform allowance?” My answer was, “Of course, the employees!”

Clothing allowance may be considered as part of the total remuneration of the employee such that any amount that is left after paying for his or her clothing or uniform should be kept or retained by him or her.  In fact, in certain cases, the uniform allowance is paid to the employee in the form of cash.

Section 5 of the DBM Budget Circular No. 2012-1 dated Feb. 23, 2012, Rules and Regulations on the Grant of Uniform/Clothing Allowance to Civilian Government Personnel, provides that the allowance is granted to defray expenses for uniforms or distinctive clothing which are the required appropriate attire for employees in the regular performance of their work.

Section 7, on the other hand, states that the allowance may be given in cash “for those who will procure their individual uniforms according to set conditions.” There is nothing in the circular that says that the clothing allowance, or any part of it, is owned by any employee other than the intended recipient.

Therefore, no portion of the clothing or uniform allowance should be kept by any superior employee, much less any employee inferior to those who were supposedly “shortchanged,” such as an office clerk or driver regardless of the relationship of the former with the head or boss.

While tinkering with my old files, I recently retrieved a tabulation of expenses for office uniform and bull caps for members of a certain unit whose staff members were “shortchanged” in the total amount of almost P10 thousand. That tabulation was prepared in 2017 yet.

Out of curiosity, I asked for an update last Valentine’s Day 2018.  I was told by one “victim” that the excess amount was still elusive – was still not given back, at least to him.

To my query, the employee responded, “Wala jud among sukli, sir.  Moabot na lang ang bag-o nga clothing ani sir.  Murag dili na jud na mauli sa amo.”

In my mind I toyed: “Kung tinuod ni, gidaginot pa gyud lugar?”

(Egay Uy is co-chair of the City Price Coordinating Council, chair of the Regulatory and Complaint Board, and chair of the Joint Inspection Team of Cagayan de Oro.)