Nearly 260,000 job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers in government will be affected by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s veto of a portion of unprogrammed appropriations in this year’s P6.793-trillion national budget, House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio said.
“I strongly condemn the veto by President Marcos Jr. of P43.245 billion intended ‘For Payment of Personnel Services Requirements’ under the [UA],” Tinio said.
He said the appropriation was originally included in the National Expenditure Program submitted by Malacañang itself and maintained as such in the House General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
“But (it was) bumped off to Unprogrammed Appropriations by the Bicameral Conference Committee to make room for insertions, and has now been completely cut from the GAA with the President’s veto,” the lawmaker said.
Of the P43.235-billion veto, Tinio said P10.772 billion was meant for the hiring of new personnel.
“This affects the over 259,000 [JO] and [COS] workers in national government, including over 41,000 professors, instructors, and administrative staff in State Universities and Colleges (SUC) who work on contracts and are deprived of regular employment status, pay, and benefits,” Tinio said.
He said the veto message “makes no explanation or justification whatsoever for this specific veto, despite the fact that funding for these personnel expenses was originally proposed by the President himself.”
“Neither has the President made any commitment that additional or supplemental appropriations to cover this deficiency will be forthcoming,” he added.
In a briefing at the Palace yesterday, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson Shirley Agrupis said while the veto can be “very problematic now for higher education institutions,” hiring can still be done as long as it is “justifiable.”
“But the law clearly states that there will be no additional COS or JOs. If there are additional deliverables that cannot be done by present JO or COS, then we can justify (hiring),” she said. “If there are increases in enrolment (and) because we have to comply with the student-faculty ratio, as long as it is justifiable, the law provides we can hire. So, it does not at all affect the teaching and learning environment in higher education.”
“What will be affected is the non-teaching personnel. It is very clear that if the COS or JO job is already present in the existing organizational structure, we need to justify why we need additional COS or JOs,” Agrupis added.
Tinio said the remaining P32.472 billion that the President vetoed was intended for the terminal leave benefits of retiring personnel in the civilian and uniformed bureaucracy, including the police and military.
“This can only mean that personnel benefits will be delayed or denied, with the perennial excuse of ‘lack of available funds,’” Tinio said.
