The unfortunate deaths of the five Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) highlights the "unjust and unfair treatment" of contractual workers by the government.
Thus, said House Deputy Speaker and TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza, who joined various sectors in hailing the sacrifice made by the five "modern heroes".
“Their deaths have placed the spotlight squarely on the unjust and unfair treatment of contractuals under the largest employer of all—the government," Mendoza said.
Killed in a flash flood during a rescue mission in San Miguel, Bulacan, last Sept. 25 were rescuers Narciso Calayag Jr., George Agustin, Marby Bartolome, Jerson Resurreccion, and Troy Justin Agustin. The incident happened during the onslaught of typhoon "Karding".
It was learned after the fact that the five merely contractual employees, who do not enjoy the same benefits as their regularized counterparts.
“That is what genuine public service is: going in harm’s way and putting your life on the line to save the people from the death and destruction brought about by the great storm. Yet, they are also just five of those hundreds of thousands of job orders (JOs), contract of service (COS), and memorandum order of understanding (MOU) personnel who work hard and passionately sacrifice in the frontlines of public service in the absence of an employer-employee relationship despite their performance of vital and essential functions," Mendoza said.
"We should not let their deaths be in vain. Rather, the government should now urgently end this practice of filling our bureaucracy with contractuals, JOs, COS, and MOU. The government should be the model in promoting decent work and job security," the House leader stressed.
Ending the practice of contractualization in the country has been somewhat of an uphill battle for solons the past few years.
Earlier in the current 19th Congress, Mendoza filed House Bill (HB) No. 1514, which provides for the civil service eligibility and permanent appointment of long-time government contractual workers at the frontline with at least three years of outstanding government service without the need of passing the civil service exam.
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The deputy speaker further said of the "Fallen 5" and their fellow contractual workers: "These dedicated government workers are the ones doing the ‘legwork’ and heavy lifting in most agencies. While they are the frontliners, they neither have an employer-employee relationship with government nor security of tenure."
"One of the roadblocks towards the realization of efforts to regularize these workers is the seeming disconnect of the government agencies tasked to ensure the welfare of public sector employees. On the one hand, CSC (Civil Service Commission) claims that there are not enough funds allocated for additional positions, while the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) counters that there are not enough plantilla positions presented to them for funding. So which is which?" asked Mendoza.