Andaya: Only 300 OP employees offered early retirement

Only 300, not 3, 000, employees under the Office of the President (OP) are being asked if they wish to retire early, Malacañang clarified yesterday.

Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) president Ferdinand Gaite said OP employees unexpectedly received a memorandum on Dec. 28, giving them until the next day to decide whether they wish to avail themselves of optional retirement or stay on.

"Like a thief in the dead of night, the memorandum from the OP Personnel Office declaring the employees’ position vacant or affected by the OP Rationalization Plan was received by the employees... without the certainty of being placed in other agencies," Gaite said in a statement.

He said the memorandum was dated Dec. 15 but distributed only on Dec. 28.

"Apparently, they wanted to be spared from being called (a) Christmas Scrooge but just the same, the act was insensitive and inhuman, to say the least," Gaite said.

He said those who wish to stay are not assured of getting another job in government after their positions are abolished under the rationalization plan. Those who will not be able to reply on time will also be considered to have chosen early retirement.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said the 300 employees — not 3,000, as Gaite warned — have two to three weeks to decide, adding that their positions would be abolished sooner or later.

However, he stressed that those who opt to stay on will not be fired but will have to report to the Civil Service Commission, which will find jobs for them within the government.

Andaya said the concerned government employees will continue to receive their pay, but did not say what the effect of the move will be on their seniority or length of service — a major factor in determining the rate of their retirement and pension benefits.

He said the government has allocated P5 billion this year to pay for the retirement benefits of those who opt for early retirement. — Paolo Romero