Workers to vice guv: Where is the LOVE?

CEBU, Philippines - Employees of the Negros Occidental provincial government issued a statement Thursday saying they are in disbelief over Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. statement that their “period of mourning” was but a form of “drama.”

In an unsigned statement supposedly coming from the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE), the employees said it seems that Alvarez is not properly advised on what he should say to the press. His statement, they said, reportedly shows that he has no heart for government workers.

“It is ironic. We are in disbelief hearing the statements coming from someone who want to be governor of this province. Where is your heart? Where is your LOVE for the labor sector?” the PACE statement reads.

Alvarez who is challenging the reelection bid of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. is running with “LOVE NEGROS” as his platform agenda.

Mourning

Last Wednesday, PACE declared a “period of mourning” pending the release of their salary increases and P20,000 extra bonus, which were affected by the delayed approval of the 2013 budget amounting to P2.02 billion.

PACE chairman Ruben Diamante said they have put up pieces of black cloth around the Capitol premises and wore black since Wednesday to dramatize their “mourning”. Earlier, they also held two “boodle fight” sessions to dramatize their hunger.

The PACE officers said the protest action will continue until they receive their benefits.

But Alvarez who presides the Provincial Board, said in Hiligaynon, “That’s already a drama. If they don’t like what I’m saying, that’s okay, but they should not have turned it into a drama.”

Alvarez said the employees should not allow themselves to be used as propaganda tools by some politicians.

He said the PACE officers and members should understand that the proposed 2013 Capitol Budget was disapproved because SP wants to correct or straighten the budget after they discovered it had many deficiencies.

The budget is being itemized and is examined per department so it can be straightened, he said.

He stressed he cannot sacrifice the whole population of Negrenses over the interest of 2,000 Capitol employees.

“One thing I can assure you, the budget will be approved, the bonuses will be released, the loans will be paid, and hopefully, the bonuses will double in December,” Alvarez said in the dialect.

Collateral damage

The PACE officers said the provincial government employees have repeatedly appealed to the SP, headed by Alvarez, for the approval of the 2013 budget for which their salary increases and bonuses depend, but all their efforts have fallen on deaf ears.

“Despite our clear message to spare us from being a collateral damage to their political intramurals, our voices remain unheard,” they said.

They said amid threats of being subjected to reprisal, they are only invoking their rights.

Marañon, on the other hand, has claimed the delay in the passage of the budget is politically motivated. (FREEMAN)