黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Up to 100 employees of the oversight committtees in the Senate were terminated effective Thursday, according to an order issued by Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Drilon had said that the聽move聽 was part of the rationalization聽of oversight committees, which took effect聽last August聽1.

鈥淎ll employees shall continue to serve only until聽 August 15, 2013 to effect a smooth transition in the聽 management and efficient functioning of the oversight committee, unless their employment after such date is approved by the chairperson聽 of the respective committees,鈥� a memorandum聽dated August聽 13 and signed by the Senate聽 President said.

鈥淒uring such transition聽 period, the affected staff shall be entitled to their salaries and聽 other benefits that聽 may be due them,鈥� 聽it said.

鈥淓mployees of oversight committees, whose services shall not be required by the chairperson of the respective oversight committees after such date, shall be entitled to terminal benefits to be charged against available funds of the Senate, subject to pertinent government accounting and auditing laws, rules, and regulations,鈥� it added.

In a letter聽to Drilon dated聽August 9, the聽 affected employees appealed聽 that they be allowed to聽聽 continue their services until December 31.

鈥淚n all humility, the implementation of the rationalization of oversight committees effective August 1, 2013 caught us by surprise and we were completely unprepared聽 for聽 such a contingency,鈥澛犅� they said in the letter.

鈥淲ith the realignment of personnel services in the budget of oversight committees, we were effectively separated from the services as the source of our salaries and benefits聽 no longer exists.鈥�

Some of them, they said, had been in the service of their respective oversight committees for more than 聽15 years while others had been in government service for more than聽30 years.

鈥淥ur length of聽 service will attest that we have performed our duties with utmost efficiency, honesty, dedication and hardwork. Unfortunately, some of us can no longer be accommodated as staff member in the chairperson鈥檚 Senate聽 office due to budgetary聽 constraints,鈥� they said.

Their request to stay until the end聽 of the聽year, they said, would聽 give them time to finish their pending tasks such聽 as the liquidation of cash advances, turnover of office equipment, furniture and other properties, among others.

A 鈥渟tatement聽 of concern鈥� issued聽 by the Senate employees鈥� union 鈥� Sandigan ng mga Emplyeadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong聽 Organisasyon 鈥� placed the number of personnel, who will 聽be聽聽affected by the rationalization move from 86 to 100.

鈥淲e are not talking about 86 or around 100 displaced employees alone. We are talking about the effects of this dislocation to their families,鈥澛� the union said.

鈥淥ur co-workers are not ready for this unfortunate event nor even their families, not to mention that these employees have faithfully served the Senate for over 14 years with some of the聽 committees in existence for more than 10 years,鈥� it聽 further said.

From聽 more than聽 30 oversight聽 committees,聽 Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said聽the number would be聽 cut to 20, a move that聽 is expected to聽 generate聽 P140 million savings in 2013.