Subic Bay Freeport — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Board of Directors has approved a new package of ancillary benefits for the agency’s contract of service and job order employees, officials announced Tuesday.

SBMA chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said the board passed a resolution 28 January authorizing benefits including compensatory time off, flexible working arrangements, wellness leave and reimbursement for authorized official travel expenses.

Aliño said the grant is designed to help contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers fulfill their obligations, particularly when operations require extended hours or travel beyond official stations.

The move aligns with a 2025 joint circular issued by the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management.

Under those national guidelines, government COS and JO workers are entitled to overtime pay and a potential 20 percent premium on daily pay, depending on fund availability and contract terms.

The new policy also incorporates a five-day paid wellness leave, a benefit the Civil Service Commission implemented for government employees starting 1 January. This leave, intended to support mental and physical health, allows employees to take up to three consecutive days off separately from existing vacation and sick leave credits.

The resolution also covers a year-end gratuity pay of up to P7,000 for 2024, based on the employee’s length of service.