By CHARISSA M. LUCI

Malacañang Sunday assured that the P7 billion allocated for the additional Christmas bonus of more than one million government workers will be disposed before December 25.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the state workers will definitely receive P10,000 each before Christmas as promised by the government.

“Definitely, maibibigay po iyan bago mag Pasko,” he told in a radio interview over government-run DzRB.

President Arroyo has approved the allocation of P7 billion for all state workers, including permanent, casual, and contractual employees.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said the additional cash gift and performance bonus amounting to P10,000 will be doled out this week.

Out of the P10,000 cash gift, the P7,000 will be shouldered by the national government, while the balance of P3,000 will be provided by the employees’ respective agencies.

The DBM has started crafting the guidelines for such incentives, which are not included in the 2009 regular budget.

Remonde earlier said the President “really in principle wants to make the Christmas especially for the government workers happy.”