Around 750 job orders and contractual employees stand to lose their jobs as the city government moves to increase the salaries of those it retained.
City administrator Atty. Arnel Pedrosa said Friday that in order to fully implement salary increases, they need to cut down the manpower because they cannot accommodate all 3,000 employees.
“Kukulangin kasi ang pasuweldo natin kapag hindi tayo nagtanggal dahil nga next month ay nakatakda ng i-implement ‘yong salary increase ng mga JO at contractual. Kung dati ay P225 lang ang sweldo nila per day ay magiging P503 na, kaya nga dapat talaga na magtanggal tayo kasi hindi na kayang i-accommodate. Humihingi rin po tayo ng pasensya sa lahat ng naapektuhan,” Pedrosa said.
In total, only 2,250 JOs and contractual employees were retained to continue working under the city government’s various programs.
He said the employees whose employment services were not renewed have been validated by city government officials, including their department heads based on their work performances.
“’Yong naiwan na more or less 2,250 ay sila ang makakatanggap ng P503. Pinag-aralan naman nating mabuti dito sa pamahalaang panglunsod kung sino ang maiiwan o mananatili, performance-based pa rin ang tiningnan natin,” Pedrosa said.
On Monday, city budget officer Regina Cantillo confirmed the implementation of the increase in February instead of January.
She said the implementation of the pay hike was delayed because they did not have enough time to finalize their contracts of service.
“Under the executive department ay ang dating rate pa rin ang susundin natin [for the month of January] at ang bagong rate ay magta-take effect pa sa February sa kadahilanan na may mga inaayos pa Ang mangyayari ay contract of service na ang bawat job order kung saan ilalagay doon kung anong magiging tungkulin nila, hindi pa namin ito natapos ‘yong mga job description dahil magkakaiba bawat programa,” she explained.
