QC gov’t: 112 city hall workers regularized, 62 promoted

MANILA, Philippines — Some 112 Quezon City Hall workers are now enjoying regular status, while 62 others have been promoted, during the first seven months of Mayor Joy Belmonte’s term.

In a statement on Thursday, Belmonte said that the Quezon City local government regularized the first batch of workers in November 2019, after the local Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (HRMPSB) was reconstituted.

The HRMPSB, which was established under revised Executive Order No. 25-B, is a recommending body “tasked to evaluate the qualifications of employees for promotion and appointment for vacant permanent positions.”

This was after some city hall employees were discovered having only “contractual” status for more than five years. Meanwhile, other employees were also seen performing their tasks well outside their duties without being promoted, according to Quezon City Human Resource Management Department officer-in-charge Ronald Tan.

“We will fill up our plantilla positions and, as much as possible, limit job contracting only to specialized services. We are ready to give the security of tenure to those who will qualify during the screening,” Tan said.

The mayor, meanwhile, said that the move was in line with her promise of providing job security and promoting professionalism in the local government.

“This is one way to empower our government employees. By empowering them, we hope that they will serve our people better,” she said.

Belmonte also emphasized that the process of promotion and appointment made by her administration abides by “merit and fitness” as determined by the HRMPSB.

“Anyone is encouraged to apply, even walk-in applicants. We’ve made the selection process more transparent so applicants won’t need ‘padrinos’ or recommending individuals to get government positions,” she said.