100 DOLE employees to lose jobs as ‘rationalization’ starts

Close to a hundred employees of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) are likely to wind up jobless as the agency begins its rationalization program early next year.

Assistant Secretary Anthonette Allones said DOLE is just awaiting the approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to implement the government’s rationalization program, which is designed to streamline government agencies by dissolving redundant offices and posts, realigning personnel and offering early retirement.

"Our rationalization program is almost complete because we started preparing for the implementation of the government rationalization program as early as 2003," Allones said.

Under this program, the DOLE will be dissolving several offices and positions that have been deemed redundant or non-functional, she said.

Although a number of offices and positions will be dissolved, Allones said the rationalization program will not necessarily result in the displacement of DOLE employees.

"There will be no displacements because those to be affected will just be transferred to other essential positions that have been vacant for a long time," she said.

According to her, DOLE employees are supportive of the rationalization program, and many of them have applied for early retirement, spurred by the benefits and incentives offered under the early retirement program.

So many DOLE employees have applied for early retirement, in fact, that, financial constraints aside, "we cannot declare all their positions redundant" because "some applying for the incentives are holding essential positions," Allones said.

There are also those DOLE workers who have expressed sadness that they will be affected by the rationalization program.

"It’s sad that I will already be out of work next year," said one DOLE employee who has opted for early retirement.