Local News: 200 Capitol Employees to Lose Jobs Soon?

About 200 employees of the Negros Occidental provincial government or Provincial Capitol stand to lose their jobs once the total reorganization is implemented soon.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said “not more than 10 percent” of the total number of Provincial Capitol employees will be affected, since there will be “sections” that will be abolished or merged.

There are about 2,300 employees in the Provincial Capitol, records show.

But those who will be retrenched can avail of early retirement, he added.

Marañon said he has already requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to grant him authority to reorganize the Provincial Capitol.

He said once the SP approves it, he will implement the total reorganization immediately.

In September last year, the Provincial Capitol hired Quezon City-based CPRM Consultants Inc., for a fee of almost P1.6 million, to conduct an assessment of the functions of Capitol departments and employees.

The purpose of this assessment is to have a more effective, efficient, and economical bureaucracy through streamlining, Provincial Administrator Enrique Pinongan said.

CPRM Consultants conducted a study for four months, or from September to December last year. Afterwards, it will submit recommendations to the governor on which offices or departments will be merged or abolished, and employees to be retrenched or reshuffled.

Pinongan said the total reorganization is expected to strengthen each department of the Provincial Capitol, resulting to a better delivery of services.* (DBDangcalan)