BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Amid reduction of its National Tax Allocation by more than P782 million in 2023, the provincial government of Negros Occidental assured its more than 3,000 permanent and casual workers of 4th tranche salary increases and benefits.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz also said there will be no retrenchment of Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order (JO) workers, as they are considered “essentials”.
“They are professionals that do jobs required by national agencies, but cannot be accommodated as regular employees,” Diaz said.
In fact, he added, that the hiring of additional employees is continuing, so employees who cannot continue their service, for a variety of reasons, can be replaced.
The continuing hiring includes 190 farm workers who will help ensure the rice sufficiency program of the provincial government in the next two years, Diaz added.
He also announced that the third tranche of salary increases of Capitol employees, which was approved by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, took effect July this year.
Majority of those who benefit from the latest round of wage hikes are in the lower ranks and middle managers.
In a statement, the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) said “it is thankful to the continued support of the provincial government of Negros Occidental, under the leadership of Gov. Lacson for their assurance of the implementation of the fourth tranche salary increase, despite NTA reduction.”
Negros Occidental and its 31 towns and cities including, highly urbanized Bacolod City, will suffer a P3.8 billion drop in NTA next year.*
