More than half of Capitol workforce may go

CEBU, Philippines — More than half of the present Capitol workforce is at risk of losing their jobs.

The camp of governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia earlier advised job order and casual employees not to report for work on July 1, unless their contract will be renewed.

In an interview with reporters Thursday, Capitol information officer Ainjeliz de la Torre-Orong said at least 2,922 of the 4,057 officials and workers at the Capitol are job order and casual employees.

At least 626 are under casual employment while the biggest bulk of the workforce is composed of JOs or contract-of-service workers who number 2,296. Contract-of-service workers are those employed for a particular skill set like medical specialists or experts of a certain field.

The other 18 executives and employees, including Orong, whose terms are co-terminus with outgoing Governor Hilario Davide III, are already expected to relinquish their posts as soon as the governor's term ends.

Orong said most employees, who are under job order or contract of service, are assigned in Cebu provincial or district hospitals.

Most of them are deployed in Carcar City (281 job order and contract of service workers); Danao City (221); Balamban town (189); and Bogo City (177).

The executive departments with the most number of JOs and contract of service employees are Provincial Engineering Office (75); Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (52); and Cebu South Bus Terminal (43).

Considering the significance of these offices and units, Orong said officials are expected to immediately inform affected employees of the termination of their services so that the delivery of services and programs will not be hampered.

She said even departments with vital roles or those considered frontliners have job order employees or those under contract of service.

Orong also said the department heads and their respective employees were already notified.

In a separate interview, lawyer Frank Eduard Dinsay V, member of the transition team of Garcia, said that Garcia's camp will announce tomorrow (June 28) those workers who will be retained or those whose contracts will be extended.

In a June 26 press release, the concerned employees were informed of the news.

"Job Order and Casual employees of the Province of Cebu are advised not to report for work starting July 1, 2019 unless a new Job Order and Casual Employment Contract is extended to them by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. During the turn-over on June 28, 2019, the transition team of Gov. Garcia will furnish the Department Heads of the Province of Cebu, including the Transition Team of outgoing Governor Davide, a list of Job Order and Casual employees whose services will be extended," it read.

The same statement informed the concerned employees that people on the list will be issued temporary IDs. They are also advised to bring a 1x1 picture for the issuance of a new ID, and also to bring their existing IDs for identification.

Garcia plans to formalize this announcement by issuing a memorandum circular come June 30. (FREEMAN)