By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is calling on government agencies to absorb contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers and help them qualify for the vacant plantilla or permanent positions in their respective offices.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said out of the total 2,017,380 plantilla positions in the national government, 92% are filled, while the remaining eight percent or some 168,000 positions remain unfilled.
“8 percent—that’s 168,719 positions unfilled pa. We encourage our department heads to absorb ’yong mga JO and COS natin when they fill in these unfilled plantilla positions. I-prioritize natin sila,” Pangandaman said, as quoted in a DBM news release Thursday.
She made the statement as she reiterated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s decision to allow departments/agencies to engage the services of new COS/JO workers through individual contracts and renew their existing COS/JO workers until December 31, 2025.
The hiring and engagement of COS/JO workers were initially allowed only until December 31, 2024.
Pangandaman said the President’s decision is meant to give COS/JO workers more experience and time to enhance their credentials to be able to apply in the vacant plantilla positions.
“So, with the extension of until December 31, 2025, we are giving them a chance na mapalago pa ang kanilang experience and even their educational experience para makapasok sila doon sa mga bakante na position sa national government,” Pangandaman said.
Marcos recently instructed government agencies to assist COS and JO workers in qualifying for permanent positions.
Among the strategies being considered is the implementation of programs, such as review sessions, to help COS and JO workers pass the Civil Service Examination (CSE), a requirement in applying for permanent positions in the government.
In addition, skills and capabilities of the COS and JO workers could be developed by reeducating and training them, enabling them to pass the CSE.
COS refers to the engagement of the services of an individual, private firm, other government agency, non-government agency, or international organization as a consultant, learning service provider, or technical expert to undertake a special project or job within a specific period, the DBM explained.
JO, on the other hand, refers to piece work (pakyaw), intermittent or emergency jobs to be undertaken for a short duration and for a specific piece of job, the agency added.