Senator-elect Jinggoy Estrada answers reporters’ questions before taking his oath of office on June 28, in Parañaque City. INQUIRER.net file photo / Daniza Fernandez
MANILA, Philippines — Rightsizing the bureaucracy may cause job mismatch, among other concerns, Senator Jinggoy Estrada said on Tuesday.
Estrada, poised to be the chair of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources, raised the alarm on the proposed rightsizing of government agencies despite its objective to save funds.
“Yes, I think so. For example, ako, redundant ‘yung aking trabaho sa isang department, tatanggalin ako. Ililipat ako sa ibang department na hindi ko naman expertise, hindi naman ako skilled doon sa isang department. So, balewala,” he explained in an interview at the Senate when asked if rightsizing could lead to job mismatch.
(Yes, I think so. For example, if my job in a department is redundant, I will be removed. I will be moved to a different department which is not my expertise, not in my skill set. It will be non-sense.)
The senator lamented that two million workers would be displaced if the proposed rightsizing is pursued.
“You know my campaign promise during the campaign period was to provide jobs for our people and if you remove jobs to approximately two million people who will be affected because of this rightsizing, this has to be deliberated upon extensively. I really have a lot of concern,” he said.
“Sa’n mapupunta ‘yung dalawang milyong Pilipinong maaapektuhan? Sabi nga ng tatay ko, ‘A hungry stomach knows no law.’ Kapag wala nang makain ‘yan, magiging kriminal na ‘yang mga ‘yan,” he pointed out.
(Where will the two million people go? As my father said, “A hungry stomach knows no law.” If they are not eating anything, they will become criminals.)
According to Estrada, the redundant positions in government agencies may have been due to political accommodation.
“I’m not blaming anyone. Pero (But) as far as I’m concerned, ‘yung aking opinyon (in my opinion), siguro karamihan du’n (maybe most of it are) political accommodation,” he said when asked why there are excess posts in the government.
Earlier, senators expressed support for the government’s proposed rightsizing to improve its efficiency.