CHR losing staff, enticing few applicants due to low pay – exec

This photo taken on June 8, 2021, shows the facade of the Commission on Human Rights office in Quezon City.
INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is losing its employees while attracting a few applicants despite aggressive hiring due to low salaries, its official said Wednesday.

Executive Director Jacqueline De Guia disclosed that CHR staff does not have allowances like other government agencies at the Senate.

De Guia made these explanations as she was defending the proposed 2024 budget of the CHR amounting to P976 million, including P1 million confidential fund, before the Senate committee on finance.

“We have been very aggressive [in hiring]. We have largely publicized our vacancies for the last few years but there are only a few applicants because of the low salaries that [are] provided,” she said.

READ: CHR maintains Status ‘A’ accreditation with global body

According to the CHR executive, entry-level lawyers in the rights body receive a gross pay of around P60,000 to P65,000 a month.

“But we don’t have allowances compared to [other agencies] such as [Public Attorneys Office],” she added.

Data provided by CHR during the hearing showed 112 vacant positions in the agency’s central office as of December 2022. Its regional offices, meanwhile, have 123 unfilled posts as of the same period.

The CHR said that the majority of these vacancies are investigators, lawyers, and education office personnel.

RELATED STORIES

CHR alarmed by teen shootings involving police

CHR willing to work with ICC on PH drug war probe

‘Bullying should never be condoned’ – CHR

kga/abc