Why are 53.4% of DSWD workers still contractual? – Sen. Raffy Tulfo

Sen. Raffy Tulfo (File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Why is it that 53.4 percent of employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are still contractual?

Sen. Raffy Tulfo sounded the alarm over that percentage, which came out on Wednesday during the hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Finance on the proposed P207 million budget of the DSWD for 2024.

“There are too many [contractual employees] at the DSWD up to now. Some of them have been there for 15 years and they’re still contractual. Have pity on them. Maybe we can make them regular employees,” Tulfo said, speaking partly in Filipino.

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian acknowledged the issue. But he said the DSWD would need additional funds to regularize contractual workers.

READ: House rep urges DSWD to increase 4Ps cash aid for poor

READ: DSWD probes ‘Socorro cult’ getting 4Ps cash grants, members’ pensions

“Your point of view is also our point of view. We’ve been asking for more plantilla [permanent] positions. Unfortunately, because of the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) tight fiscal space, we are always not given enough [vacant permanent] positions,” Gatchalian said.

In an ambush interview following the hearing, Gatchalian told reporters that no department head would turn down offers for additional permanent positions for their employees.

ATM