By Sarwell Meniano/ PNA
PALO, Leyte — The 2019 budget impasse has given the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 8 (Eastern Visayas) the opportunity to review the profiles of more than 300 of its job order (JO) employees.
DPWH-8 Director Nerie Bueno said Wednesday they rehired all non-regular workers this year after the end of their job contracts in 2018, but their qualifications are now subject to scrutiny by her office.
“I found out that some personnel hired did not go through the proper screening process and some are not committed. With the very limited space at the regional office, we need more competent people and those capable of multi-tasking,” Bueno told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.
Early this year, about 3,900 workers of DPWH-8 and 13 district offices in six provinces lost their jobs for weeks due to the delayed approval of the 2019 General Appropriations Act.
The rehiring process, which began late January, is in compliance with Public Works Secretary Mark Villar’s memorandum giving regional directors and district engineers the go-signal to renew the contracts of job order workers.
Villar’s directive on rehiring, dated last January 7, was disseminated through a memorandum issued on January 18 by the regional office.
Concerned over the re-enacted budget woes, Villar issued an order on December 17 last year, limiting the number of workers in 2019. The hiring should be 70 percent licensed civil engineers and 30 percent non-technical personnel, according to the old memorandum.
Numerous requests for exemption from the limited hiring prompted Villar to defer the 70 percent – 30 percent rule through the January 7 directive.
“We rehired all personnel, but we have to screen them for us to select more competent workers. The regional office is giving them time to adapt (to) the working environment and obey the rules and regulations. We have been encouraging those who are not qualified and committed, to look for other jobs where they are happy and fit to work,” Bueno said.
The DPWH-8 expects to complete the screening process anytime this year.
“I’ve been assigned in three regional offices. They don’t have many workers, but they are very efficient. It’s the quality of people that we have, not the number,” she pointed out.
Bueno served as director of DPWH-Cordillera, prior to her assignment in Eastern Visayas in August last year.
Meanwhile, the pending approval of the 2019 budget bill has delayed the implementation of PHP27.62-billion worth of infrastructure projects for Eastern Visayas.
Even if President Rodrigo Duterte signs the 2019 General Appropriations Act this week, the DPWH will not be able to kick off construction activities soon since the budget law will only be effective 15 days after publication.
Adding to the delay is the implementation of the election ban on public works projects that will run from March 29 to May 12 or 45 days before Election Day, according to Bueno.
The deadlock is seen as an opportunity to start the planning and surveying activities for 2020 projects, complete 2018 carry-over projects, and send engineers for training to raise their capabilities.
The 2019 proposed budget has been submitted to the President for scrutiny, but Malacañang could not say when it will be signed.
