The Senate Committee on Finance is ready to tackle the proposals seeking to rightsize the bureaucracy that would be filed in the Upper Chamber, Senator Sonny Angara said on Tuesday, July 19.

Angara, who chairs the finance panel, said it is about time for the government to rightsize the bureaucracy as some agencies might already be done with their mandate.

“Panahon na palagay ko dahil matagal nang hindi nagagawa ito sa ating bansa. Sa ibang bansa ginagawa talaga ito on a regular basis or pana-panahon),” Angara said in a televised interview on GMA News.

Angara noted that some agencies are already redundant and there are government offices duplicating the functions of some agencies.

“Maaring i-fold na lang ito or i-merge sa ibang ahensya (We can close these or merged them with other agencies),” he said.

Angara also said his committee is keen on protecting government employees who would be displaced by the rightsizing program of the Marcos administration.

The senator said it is imperative for the government to offer reasonable benefits to those who would lose their jobs in the process.

He pointed out that in the private sector, companies offer attractive benefits to those who would be affected by their rightsizing efforts.

“Kaya maraming naga-avail dahil kahit wala pa sila sa retirement age e, pag maganda ang benepisyo, inuunahan na nila ang kanilang retirement (that’s why many of their employees are availing of early retirement options because the benefits are good),” the lawmaker noted.

Angara also said he supports Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III's proposal to include the Senate and the House of Representatives in the administration's rightsizing plans.

“Buong pamahalaan dapat kasama. Lahat ng ahensya dahil pag pinag-uusapan ang rightsizing, palagay ko wala namang dapat exempted (The entire government should be included. All agencies, because we are talking about rightsizing. I believe no government agency should be exempted),” he stressed.