The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has given the assurance that it has been exerting efforts to have its temporary employees comply with the qualification requirements mandated under Republic Act No. 10575, the BuCor Act of 2013.
Failure of temporary employees to comply with the provisions of RA 10575 means they would be dismissed and those entitled will be given benefits upon separation from the service.
“BuCor is truly aware of the mandates of the existing RA 10575, including its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (RIRR), to modernize institutions, yet never been blind and deaf to the needs of its workforce,” BuCor said in a statement.
“Acting Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. is always one with personnel, especially during their trying times,” BuCor said.
Aside from character and citizenship qualifications, Section 11 of RA 10575 provides that BuCor personnel “must have passed the psychiatric/psychological, drug and physical test for the purpose of determining his/her physical and mental health; must possess a baccalaureate degree from a recognized learning institution; must possess the appropriate civil service eligibility; must not have been dishonorably discharged or dismissed for cause from previous employment; and must not have been convicted by final judgment of an offense or crime involving moral turpitude.”
RA 10575 provides that “those who are already in the service upon the effectivity of this Act shall be given five (5) years from the date of such effectivity to obtain the minimum educational qualification and eligibility with subsidiary assistance as provided for in this Act.”
The law also provides that “after the lapse of the period for the satisfaction of a specific requirement, incumbent personnel of the BuCor who fail to satisfy any of the requirements enumerated under this section shall be separated from the service if they are below fifty (50) years of age and have served in the government for less than twenty (20) years, or retired if they are fifty (50) years and above and have served in the government for at least twenty (20) years without prejudice in either case to the payment of benefits they may be entitled to under existing laws.”
BuCor issued the statement after it learned that an employee lodged a complaint before the Civil Service Commission (CSC) concerning the upcoming attrition of personnel.
It said “Acting Director General Catapang Jr. has nothing to do with the attrition because it is already in place years ago and now that the reglementary period is about to lapse on March 15, 2023, the Human Resource Action is required by the law to implement the law.”
It explained that BuCor personnel were given five years from March 15, 2018 to comply with the law for the modernization, professionalization and restructuring of the BuCor.
It noted that “one of the reasons some affected personnel failed to comply with the requirements was due to Covid-19 pandemic that started in 2020 and paralyzed the movement of people.”
“This prompted BuCor to request CSC another extension of three (3) more years reglementary period on Oct. 13, 2022, unfortunately, it did not prosper,” it lamented.
It said it “made rigorous efforts in ventilating the concerns of its personnel” and cited that last June 2022 made its first request with the CSC to facilitate the CSC Career Service Examinations Paper and Pencil Test (CSE PPT) that was held on August 2022 for 50 slots.